Dido and Aeneas
Henry Purcell · International Baroque Days Melk Abbey 2022
Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” with Wallis Giunta and Michael Schade and Concentus Musicus Wien under Stefan Gottfried – the opening concert of the 2022 festival in the abbey church of Melk.
The International Baroque Days Melk Abbey opened their 2022 festival on 3 June with Henry Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas”, performed semi-staged in the abbey church. Nahum Tate’s libretto follows Virgil’s “Aeneid”: after the Trojan War, Aeneas is shipwrecked at Carthage, Queen Dido falls in love with him, and he leaves her again. Sung throughout, the work is regarded as Purcell’s only “true” opera.
Stefan Gottfried conducts Concentus Musicus Wien and the Smaragd Chamber Choir of the mdw. Wallis Giunta sings Dido and Michael Schade, the festival’s artistic director, sings Aeneas; Alexander Hauer directed the staging. The evening opens with Matthew Locke’s suite from “The Tempest”.
In the television version, artworks from the depository of the Collections of the Province of Lower Austria accompany the suite – a contribution to the province’s centenary, “100 Years of Lower Austria”.
Photos: © Daniela Matejschek
Facts
- Works
- Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, opera in three acts, libretto by Nahum TateMatthew Locke: suite from “The Tempest”
- Venue and recording
- Abbey church of MelkInternational Baroque Days Melk Abbeyopening concert, 3 June 2022
- First broadcast
- 3sat, 6 June 2022ORF III, 12 June 2022
- Running time
- 69 min.
Credits
- Conductor
- Stefan Gottfried
- Ensembles
- Concentus Musicus WienSmaragd Chamber Choir of the Anton Bruckner Institute, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (chorus master: Johannes Hiemetsberger)
- Cast
- Wallis Giunta (Dido)Michael Schade (Aeneas)Johanna Wallroth (Belinda)Olivia Vermeulen (Sorceress)Momoko Nakajima (First Witch, Spirit)Lucija Varšić (Second Witch, Second Woman)Christopher Willoughby (Sailor)
- Stage director
- Alexander Hauer
- Costumes
- Julia Klug
- TV director
- Volker Werner
- Editing
- Abel Czinger, Volker Werner
- Camera
- Heribert Senegacnik, Wolfgang Rauch, Thomas Kosnar, Peter Penz, Bernhard Krügel, Hermann Weitlaner
- Lighting design
- Patrick Suppan
- Sound
- Benjamin Wuthe, Philipp Treiber, Viktor Seedorf
- Editorial
- Veronika ZimmermannEditor (ORF III): Marina MattnerCommissioning editor (ORF III): Theresa Selzer
- Production manager and executive producer
- Martin Pichl
- Co-production
- SCARLATTI Arts international and ORF III
- In collaboration with
- Unitel
- Supported by
- State of Lower Austria, Department of Art and Culture
- World sales
- Unitel
Partners
