Malena ernman dido and aeneas

Delightful and very moving

'Dido and Aeneas' is Purcell's most best-known opera and one of his best-known overall works, and for good reason.

In performance, Act 1 can be potentially static (speaking from experience when I was in the chorus for the conservatoire's Opera Scenes production, where we performed the whole of Act 1 with very static staging, conceived at practically last minute when the 'Eugene Onegin' and 'Cosi Fan Tutte' dominated the rehearsal period and it showed in the performance) and the portrayal of the Sorceress and witches can be problematic.

This said, 'Dido and Aeneas' is a really lovely opera with an interesting story when executed well and wonderful music from Purcell, the most famous part being Dido's justifiably celebrated death aria "When I am Laid in Earth" which is one of the most beautiful and poignant arias ever written.

This production is a delight