@Muse I agree. It's a great piece.

Though I haven't performed Purcell myself. You play lute, then?

@Noam נעם The singer is what is known as a "counter-tenor". In Purcell's time that part would be played by a boy or contralto (someone who was castrated specifically to maintain their boyhood quality of voice).

Farinelli is the prime example of this. He was hugely famous in his time. He and other Castrati were sought after by wealthy women because--sex without consequences. I haven't seen the movie about Farinelli's life, but it won awards. The narration on the trailer for Farinelli is a bit silly.

I used to do a lot of singing. Then later, I wrote musical theatre. I performed in Il ballo delle ingrate. I have also sung songs from Dido and Aeneas. Opera directors would like me because I could look and sound like a boy. There aren't that many counter-tenors, and certainly no one is castrating boys to sing these parts any more!

I was wondering how contralto fit in there...

I've sung in a couple of community choirs, enough to appreciate good singing. I can more or less hold a tune.