Educational Media Reviews Online

Henry Purcell’s gem of love and loss in the aftermath of the Trojan War is beautifully conceived and presented here by the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera House led by baroque specialist and conductor Christopher Hogwood with the original instruments of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The leading vocalists are all superb: Sara Connolly as Dido, Aeneas as sung by Lucas Meacham and Lucy Crowe as Belinda, but Connolly steals the show with her heart-wrenching but refined performance. The chorus is outstanding. Stage Director Wayne McGregor uses a minimalist approach to sets and costumes, perhaps to underscore the timelessness of the opera. His imaginative staging and lighting produce creative visual effects which enhance the production. The ballet sequences are intertwined with the vocalizations gracefully and seamlessly; McGregor’s modern dance choreography feels ideal in this setting. Overall, the operatic conception and musicianship is consistent with Hogwood’s exacting standards and the quality expected of the royal companies. Purcell’s music is luscious. The presentation would have benefitted from English subtitles because even though it is in English the text is somewhat unfamiliar and is often difficult to understand.