The second half of the 17th century was a golden time for the flourishing London theatres. Texts of Willian Shakespeare and other 16th-century writers were edited and completed with music: speech was alternated with songs, dances, instrumental interludes and masques. The grand master in this genre was undoubtedly Henry Purcell. His ‘The Fairy Queen’ is one of the best things Purcell ever wrote: catchy, refreshing, funny and with a strong personal touch. But also after his untimely death at 36 years of age, numerous composers contributed to the genre. Henry’s younger brother, Daniel Purcell (1664-1717), wrote music for over 40 plays. That he mastered the same skills as his older brother B’Rock proves with some fragments from ‘The Unhappy Penitent’. Also not to be forgotten is Gottfried Finger (ca. 1660-1730), one of the most intriguing figures in the period between Purcell’s death and Händel’s breakthrough – and so that of the Italian opera. Finger managed to realize a fascinating synthesis between the Purcellian idiom and popular, sometimes bizarre elements from the music of his country of birth, Moravia.