Dido & Aeneas

Live recording from the production of Purcell´s Dido & Aeneas by Den Ny Opera. Performances took place in Musikhuset, Esbjerg, Denmark, in August 2023. The pentagonal stage was made by Signe Krogh, and built specifically (by opera boss Lars Ole Matthiasen and one carpenter) for this production, which had a rehearsal time of only 10 days. All singers and instrumentalists as one collective on stage, contributing to the action. Stage director, Erlend Samnøen brought his vast experience from straight theatre, dance, musical and opera productions to stage this classic piece. Hand picked singers, mainly from the UK, with Mary Bevan in the title role, all formidably going between being soloists, actors and doing all the choruses. All the added music was conceived and arranged by musical director, Bjarte Eike, and the band Barokksolistene are not only doing the whole opera without scores, but are through their physical presence pivotal to the whole story. Adding brilliant lighting by Michael Breiner and fantastic costumes by Åsa Gjerstad, and the result is quite astonishing. 00:00 introducing the space 01:18 Introducing the cast 03:52 Audience learns a song 04:33 Ouverture (1st act) 21:40 enter the villain 22:51 enter the witches (act 2) 32:00 "nature's call" 33:39 The Grove (act 2, scene 2) 48:21 interlude + audience singalong 51:58 Sailors and witches (act 3) 1:00:17 act 3 scene 2 1:06:54 the Lament 1:10:33 With drooping wings