Dido and Belinda is the first show from Opera Q and Cor Unum Ensemble. It’s a reimagining of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas from Belinda’s perspective and with a decidedly gender fluid twist. Nathum Tate’s libretto is extended by spoken passages which give Belinda’s take on the story and make it very much a story of the two sisters. The back story is Dido’s flight from Tyre rather than Aeneas’ flight from Troy. The future is about Belinda as Queen of Carthage not Aeneas’ “promised Empire”. It works pretty well though I have reservations about interpolating text in the final scene. I think Belinda’s accession as Dido’s successor could have been conveyed without interrupting some of the most sublime music ever composed. That’s a minor quibble though in a story concept that works.
There are familiar elements and some less familiar ones in Tapestry’s announcement of their 40th anniversary season. Tap:Ex, Songbook and the LibLab are all there and there are also four new commissions. The innovation lies in the fact that the LibLab will be a bilingual collaboration with Opéra de Montréal and in the return of two previously performed works which, I think, is a first for the company.
So May Day greetings and hello again. And here are some things you might care to see this month during your eight hours for “what you will”. It’s a bit belated for reasons previously announced but it’s here and I’m back.
I’m afraid that Operaramblings is going to be pretty much “off air” for the remainder of April. To cut a long story short, I have a retinal tear and will have emergency surgery tomorrow. My mobility and screen time will be restricted for the rest of the month and I’ve cancelled my reviewing engagements for that period. If all goes to plan normal service should be resumed in May.
operaramblings 