Spoleto Festival USA presented the U.S. premiere of Opera Queensland’s production of Dido and Aeneas in association with Circa on May 23, 2026, at the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre.
This innovative staging weaves heart‑stopping acrobatics by Circa into Henry Purcell’s masterful Baroque opera, pairing physical daring with striking visual design to create a riot of color, motion, and sound. The production opens with a newly conceived prologue set on a dark, bare stage — “where time, bodies, and emotions waltz their doomed dance,” as described by Yaron Lifschitz, Circa’s artistic director, who directed and designed the work.
Alongside a world‑class cast, featuring Megan Moore as Dido, Leroy Yoshuro Davis as Aeneas, and Maya Mor Mitrani as Belinda, the Festival Orchestra and Chorus delivered an energetic and sensitive performance under conductor Patrick Dupré Quigley. The Post and Courier praised the Festival Chorus’s final musical moment, describing the singers encircling the audience as “as if we were in a grand cathedral.”
Classical Voice North America called the production “a devastating depiction of betrayal and grief in Purcell’s opera,” achieved through “thrilling acrobatic feats and a powerful musical performance.”
The creative team included costume designer Libby McDonnell, lighting designer Matthew Marshall, assistant conductor Micah Gleason, and production stage manager Becca Eddins. The Festival Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Amanda Quist, provided a resonant choral foundation. The live performance also featured harpsichordist Aya Hamada.