Spoleto Festival USA presents Opera Queensland’s production of Dido and Aeneas in association with Circa. 

Patrick Dupré Quigley, Conductor
Spoleto Festival USA Chorus and Orchestra

Heart-stopping acrobatics and Henry Purcell’s masterful score for Dido and Aeneas—rich, haunting, and unforgettable—soar to new heights in a visionary collaboration with the internationally acclaimed physical theater ensemble Circa. This is opera transformed: soaring voices, awe-inspiring physical artistry, and striking design collide in a riot of color, motion, and sound. 

A passionate love story. A hero bound by fate. A lover left behind. Dido and Aeneas is a love story for the ages. Aeneas is a hero caught between his destiny and desire. Dido is the woman he must leave behind. For these star-crossed lovers, fate and romance are on a collision course. Combining exhilarating acrobatics and extraordinary music, this production is an opera for today. 

Purcell’s early opera gave the world one of the most poignant scores ever written, and laid the foundation for every opera that came after. Now, experience the power of Dido and Aeneas in a staging from Circa Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz, which sets “a new benchmark for opera production in Australia” (Limelight). Expect jaw-dropping physical feats from Circa’s talented ensemble alongside stunning voices. Libby McDonnell’s glamorous costumes are chic creations of luxe materials and strong silhouettes, and Lifschitz has created a stark, slick set. 

Led by Patrick Dupre Quigley—a conductor widely known for bringing energy and “vivid sensitivity” (Washington Post) to Baroque music—the Festival Orchestra and Chorus deliver an enthusiastic and sensitive performance. Presented on harpsichord with modern orchestral instruments, Purcell’s music is equal parts vivacious and devastating. The world-class cast combines Moore’s “vivid…timbre…and exceptional technique” (Opera News), Davis’ “resonant Baritone” (Opera Today) and the rising star of Maya Mor Mitrani to bring this music and story to life.

 “Heartbreaking, tempestuous and surreal” – Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane 

Suggested for ages 12+
Performed in English with English supertitles

Creative Team
Yaron Lifschitz, Director & Stage Design
Libby McDonnell, Costume Design
Matthew Marshall, Lighting Design
Amanda Quist, Music Director of Chorus
Aya Hamada, Harpsichord
Micah Gleason, Assistant Conductor

International Representation (USA, Canada, Central & South America)
Allen Moon / David Lieberman Artists’ Representatives

Production Notes
This production was first commissioned by Opera Queensland and presented by Opera Queensland in association with Circa on 11 July 2024 in the Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, Australia.

Attendance at all events is subject to the Festival security policy.

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