Calendar - Dido and Aeneas

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As part of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie 2024

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Dido and Aeneas
Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie 2024

Ensemble

Instrumentalists of Les Arts Florissants and The Juilliard School of New York

Musical direction

William CHRISTIE

Semi-stage direction

Sophie DANEMAN

Cast

Helen CHARLSTON, mezzo-soprano, Dido
Renato DOLCINI, baritone, Aeneas, Sorceress
Ana VIEIRA LEITE, soprano, Belinda, solo ("Celestial Music did the Gods inspire")
Maud GNIDZAZ, soprano, First Witch
Virginie THOMAS, soprano, Second Witch, Second Woman
Ilja AKSIONOV, tenor, Sailor, solo ("Celestial Music did the Gods inspire")
Michael Loughlin SMITH, tenor, Spirit
Bastien RIMONDI, tenor, Solo ("Celestial Music did the Gods inspire")
Daniel BRANT, tenor
Padraic ROWAN, bass, Solo ("Celestial Music did the Gods inspire")
Christophe GAUTIER, bass

Program

Henry PURCELL - Dido and Aeneas

Henry PURCELL - Celestial music did the Gods inspire Z. 322

Few Baroque operas have enjoyed such a destiny, and aroused so many emotions across the centuries, as Dido and Aeneas. Composed by Purcell in 1689, this absolute masterpiece of English Baroque music recounts the sincere but ill-fated love affair between Aeneas, the future founder of Rome, and Dido, Queen of Carthage.

Very compact in form (less than an hour of music), Dido and Aeneas is an opera of astonishing variety, blending pastoral, burlesque comedy and tragedy. It is also one of the works most cherished by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, who have often performed it in concert.

For this version, presented at the opening of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie, the title roles have been entrusted to two laureates of Le Jardin des Voix academy for young baroque singers: mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, revealed at the 2021 Festival in Partenope, and Renato Dolcini, who in addition to Aeneas will embody the Great Sorceress. The combination of these two roles represents an original artistic choice. Aren't these two seemingly distant characters, in fact, closely linked? By preventing the union of the lovers, isn't the Sorceress Aeneas' alter ego, helping him to realize his destiny: to become the founder of Rome?