The Monteverdi Choir's semi-staging of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas at the Cutty Sark in London offered a rich musical experience, though the dramatic setting sometimes overwhelmed the performance. The opera was presented under the 200ft copper hull of the clipper, with antique figureheads flanking the stage, creating a surreal atmosphere that director Andrew Staples attempted to counter with a 'ritual' staging involving trumpets, drums, and costumed performers.
Musically, the performance was a triumph. Conductor Jonathan Sells led the English Baroque Soloists with energy and restraint, while unaccompanied choral moments like 'With drooping wings' showcased devastating clarity and unified inflection. The space's natural resonance amplified the drama, with big voices filling the hall.
Mezzo-soprano Karima el Demerdasch delivered a voluptuous-voiced Dido, her suicidal queen still coming into focus. Johanna Wallroth's radiant Belinda and Bethany Horak-Hallett's sumptuous Sorceress provided contrasting musical poles. Baritone Hubert Zapiór was a properly baritonal Aeneas, a worthy partner for Demerdasch.
The production travels to Norway's Bergen festival next month, where it may gain dramatic momentum away from the ship's hull.
