Opera Productions: Dido and Aeneas

This summer’s production is our own adaptation of Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas! We’ve spent the last year delving into its source material, Virgil’s The Aeneid, adding the gods back into Purcell’s version of the story by inserting music from his other works, including King Arthur, The Faerie Queen and more! We’ve adapted and orchestrated it for our musical ensemble, which this year will include teen musicians playing alongside our professionals for the first time! And we’ve assembled a creative team of workshop veterans, alumni, and a few new faces to help bring this all together.

Based on the fourth book of Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid, our expanded adaptation of Purcell’s short opera tells the tragic tale of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and her year-long affair with the Trojan hero, Aeneas. As their lives are manipulated by the gods in the name of Aeneas’ fated future and the gods’ own agendas and petty rivalries, the two are torn apart, with devastating consequences for Dido.

CAST: Julia Jemsek (Juno), Sarah Fischer (Venus), Sarah Van Horn (First child), Samantha Van Horn (Second Child), Ayla Connor-Kirshbaum (Dido), Eliza Carson (Belinda), Carina Gravante-Gunnells (Second Woman), Angela Oldham Barca (Aeneas), Brayden Stallman (King Iarbas), Milena Gravante-Gunnells (First Witch), Angelys Martinez (Second Witch), Greyson Lynch (Mercury), Craig Judicki (First Sailor), Shaina O’Malley (Iris)

ORCHESTRA: Manar Hashmi (violin), Joel Gonzales (violin), Wallie Evyon Lewis* (viola), Shayne Lebron-Acevedo* (cello), Lemuel Gurtowsky* (harpsichord)

CONCERT ENSEMBLE: Syl Simmons†, Aislinn Bail, Liam Shannon†