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This aria, which is also known by its popular name, “Dido’s Lament,” is from the opera Dido and Aeneas by English Baroque composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695), with the libretto by Nahum Tate.
- Dido and Aeneas is based on the mythological story of Dido, Queen of Carthage and the Trojan prince Aeneas, and her despair at his abandonment. It is based on Book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid.
sub rosa 
Stunning performance of a gorgeous aria. She is 70 and still sings like a wise angel. We have the Emma Kirkby performance on CD and it would be hard and unnecessary to choose one over the other. Thanks for posting the link. She is so correct re arts education here in the US. I do not know how it is on the continent.
Agree; no need to choose!
In Norway art is still a part of the curriculum, but rarely taken seriously. Often the classes are taught by teachers without any kind of qualifications.