Mid Wales Opera's Dido and Aeneas Showcases Young Welsh Talent in Brecon Cathedral
Mid Wales Opera has delivered a remarkable staging of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas at Brecon Cathedral, blending rising stars with amateur singers in a production created in just one intensive week. This OpenStages initiative reflects the company's missionary zeal for nurturing local communities and emerging vocal talent, earning high praise for its heartfelt execution.
A Collaborative Effort with Stellar Results
The production featured a motley crew of amateurs forming the chorus, who portrayed Carthaginian courtiers, witches' coven followers, and sailors with impressive dedication. Their singing ranged from lusty roistering to sadly sober tones, all supported by well-schooled physical gestures. The young cast, including some already launched on singing careers, provided greater vocal polish, expertly guided by conductor Jonathan Lyness, particularly in the recitatives.
Director and designer Richard Studer crafted a starkly simple yet highly effective set against the cathedral's west end backdrop. A metal structure formed a central high pavilion on a raised dais, elegantly framing the action. The chorus, dressed in black, sported quirky pale golden patches on their left cheekbones, while Queen Dido and Aeneas, in standout white, wore elaborate golden facial adornments befitting their regal status. Handmaidens in burgundy scattered petals like drops of blood, with the color resonating in a velvet river that wrapped around the dying Dido.
Emotional Depth and Tragic Resonance
Kathy Macaulay's portrayal of Dido combined graceful bearing and a focused soprano with an air of vulnerability from her first aria. Dido's reluctance to marry Aeneas, encouraged by handmaiden Belinda (Alaw Grug Evans), is thwarted by the evil Sorceress and witches, leading to Carthage's destruction. The inexorable progress to Dido's final aria, When I am lain in earth, made Purcell's ending profoundly moving, with the ground bass and repeated "Remember me!" utterances adding urgency.
Thankfully, librettist Nahum Tate did not meddle with the tragic conclusion, perhaps at Purcell's bidding, allowing the MWO string ensemble to echo the lament mood. The hushed silence at the end underscored the production's emotional impact, highlighting Mid Wales Opera's achievement in blending professional and amateur elements for a heart-wrenching performance.
