The University of Lethbridge opera workshop is excited to work with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra to bring Henry Purcell’s 1689 Baroque period short opera “Dido and Aeneas” 
to the Southminster United Church, Jan. 16 and 17.
The 25 talented singers will be performing with The Lethbridge Symphony string quartet which will be augmented by harpsichord conducted by Lethbridge Symphony’s Glenn Klassen.
“ It really gives the flavour for the period of the Baroque,” said director Blaine Hendsbee. He noted the opera itself is 50 minutes long, however The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra strings and harpsichord will set the mood by playing Baroque music for the first half of the two hour long program.
Composed in 1689, Dido & Aeneas is lyric tragedy that focuses on the passionate, yet ultimately tragic, love affair between Queen Dido of Carthage and Aeneas of Troy.
“ It’s a complete opera , but it’s only 50 minutes long. It’s high opera though there are funny scenes like the dancing witches. but the overriding arch is high drama,” he continued adding Purcell wrote the opera in English and loosely based it on the Greek myth of Dido and Aeneas, so nothing is lost in translation.
“ It’s overwhelmingly text based. So people will be able to understand the story,” he said.
The story is about Dido, the Queen of Carthage and Aeneas the prince of Troy who fall in love and must cope with the political and social ramifications of their affair.
“ There are two different poles to the story,” Hendsbee explained.
“ There is a regular love affair between two regular people but they are also rulers and monarchs so they have to think about their responsibility to their people’s safety and security,” he said.
“ She ends her life in the most beautifully sublime aria in the opera, some say in all of opera- ‘Dido’s Lament.’ It’s a great story,” he continued.
“ It is very well suited for our cast, musically and physically. They are all a great fit and there are a lot of roles,” he said adding they double cast the roles of Dido, Aeneas and Dido’s sister and handmaiden Belinda.
“It has a challenge for them to sing in the Baroque style,” he said adding watching them learn to sing in an unfamiliar style of opera has been a highlight for him.
The cast features a lot of familiar faces who had major roles in last year’s production of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro.” It’s very colourful and text driven. I hope people will be moved by it,” he said.
He is pleased with the costumes designed by Leslie Robison-Greene who has been working with the University of Lethbridge opera Workshop for the past 15 years.
He noted this is the fifth collaboration with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.
The tragic love of Queen Dido of Carthage and the Trojan General Aeneas comes to life through the pen of Henry Purcell, often noted as the first great composer of British Opera. The LSO continues its collaboration with the U of L Opera Workshop in this fully staged presentation, preceded by a prelude of chamber music specially selected to guide your ears toward the beauty, grace and subtlety of Baroque opera.
Performances begin at 8 p.m., Jan. 16 and Jan. 17 at Southminster United Church.
Tickets cost between $22-$55.
