The melody of the “Rondeau“ from Abdelazer is one of the best-known tunes today and everyone can sing it. If we try to find out who is the composer we come across the name of Benjamin Britten whose symphonic variations from A young person’s guide to the orchestra are world-famous. It is, however, not Britten’s composition but Henry Purcell’s. During the last five years of his short life Henry Purcell wrote more than 43 so-called ‘stage musics’ for theatre. In his final year in 1695, he composed the music for the tragedy Abdelazer by Aphra Behn. The tragedy Abdelazer tells the story about a slave who becomes king after many intrigues and murders. Unfortunately, only the first part of Purcell’s flamboyant suite has survived.