With Sarah Benzinger, a Humboldt State junior from Eureka playing one of the title roles, 29 singers together with members of the Humboldt Symphony present the short opera Dido and Aeneas on Friday. and Saturday nights, Apr. 13 and 14, at 8:00 p.m. in Fulkerson Recital Hall.
Benzinger plays Dido in this mythological love story that also features Conor Jamison as Aeneas and Mindy Willens as Belinda. Mika Smith, who contributed to the choreography, performs a solo dance.
Members of the Humboldt Symphony provide instrumental accompaniment, conducted by Ken Ayoob and featuring Gregg Granoff on harpsichord.
The opera is staged by HSU’s Opera Workshop class, taught by Dr. Elisabeth Harrington. Audiences will appreciate Henry Purcell’s lively, romantic opera in English, she says. “It has dancing as well as drama, and even though it’s a tragedy, it doesn’t really become sad until the final scene. It has many moments of levity before then.”
The work also is a perfect fit for the Workshop class. “The running time is just under an hour, so the opera can be learned within a semester,” Dr. Harrington said. “There are dance numbers and many colorful characters, who offer students the chance to integrate their dramatic and dance skills as well as their singing.”
The opera is fully staged and costumed. Members of the class also helped build and paint the set, worked on costumes and props, and serve as stage crew.
One of England’s greatest composers, Purcell wrote Dido and Aeneas in 1689 for the British girls’ school where he was the music master. It remains the only English opera composed before the 20th century that is still performed in the modern repertoire.
Tickets are $6.00 general, $2.00 students/seniors, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. For more information: http://hsumusic.blogspot.com/.