Opera Australia has run a particularly daring summer season, with a number of experimental and form-defying works. With record ticket sales exceeding over 82,000 sold, the formula is clearly working but no work has been more defying than their final production of the summer season, a reimagined version of Henry Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, arguably the most famous Baroque opera. 

What makes this production special is that it is a collaboration between Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and Circa, with acrobatics punctuating the otherwise short work alongside the traditional elements of the production. Opera Australia’s willingness to innovate and to challenge form and genre has been clearly welcomed by their audiences judging by their renewed success in ticket sales and while sometimes it has not quite paid off in the past, in this production, the innovation has taken Purcell’s work to a completely different level. 

The skill of the acrobatics on stage was nothing short of remarkable. The performers tackled a number of challenging stunts that left the audience gasping at the level of technical expertise. It was the perfect counterpoint to the melancholy and emotion of the opera, and it meant that the performance was as much a visual show as an auditory show. Lighting designer Matthew Marshall’s clever use of chiaroscuro lighting throughout the performance to shroud the acrobats in darkness only further added to the incredible visual spectacle on display. 

There was perhaps the risk that the excitement of the acrobatics, which resulted in some of the musical interludes being lengthened to accommodate stunts, would detract from the opera itself but this was not the case, with the vocals of the Opera Australia company blending seamlessly in with the acrobats. Anna Dowsley’s dual performance of Dido and the Sorceress was sublime, displaying fantastic tonal lyricism in some of the earlier numbers before darkening her interpretation to a brooding, desolate resignation for the acclaimed “Dido’s Lament” at the end of the performance. Dowsley’s roles demand complex and layered characterisation and she delivered with the utmost poise and clarity. 

Nicholas Jones was also strong as Aeneas, with the richness of his tone proving to be a wonderful compliment to Dowsley’s performance. The rest of the company matched the strength of the leads, with powerful vocals as well as appropriate deference to the acrobatics in some of the key moments, which made the production feel particularly seamless. The full potential of Baroque scores can occasionally be left unfulfilled in the present day when companies increasingly focus on late Classical and Romantic works (as well as more modern works), but the company adjusted their timbres well to convey the beauty of the music whilst also remaining stylistically and tonally appropriate. 

The orchestra was also in fine form as usual, conveying the warmth of Purcell’s score well and with appropriate flourish. This was very much a case of all the elements flowing symbiotically (being the acrobatics, the music and the vocals) and the orchestra certainly did its part in adding to this ambiance. 

The show was very short, lasting little over an hour but given the intensity of what was occurring on stage, this actually worked very well for this performance. Given the length, the language of the production (being one of the few operas of the period performed in English) and the fusion of traditional and non-traditional operatic elements, this is one of the more accessible productions for those who are new to opera and a fabulous introduction for those wanting to explore something a little different. Adding the flawlessness of the execution into the mix, this is right up there as one of the best works that Opera Australia has produced in recent memory. 

Ultimately, when a production like this clicks, everyone in the room knows it and that was the case for this performance. This production showcased the best of Opera Australia, both in terms of technical mastery and in its desire to innovate. The respective companies involved in this production have undoubtedly landed a winner here and one can only hope that this production continues to grow and tour because it truly is a showcase of the operatic form at its finest.  With all of its elements, this is a production not to miss. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Dido & Aeneas plays at the Joan Sutherland Theatre until 29^th March. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Keith Saunders