Dido & Aeneas | Ryedale Festival Opera
Movement Director
Venue: Ryedale Festival
St Michael's Church, Malton
St Mary's Church, Lastingham
All Saints Church, Helmsley
Musical Director: Eamonn Dougan
Synopsis: Purcell's baroque opera - Dido, Queen of Catharge, falls in love with Aeneas, the Trojan Prince, whilst offering him safe harbour on his journey home. A Sorceress, plots to destroy Dido by separating the two lovers with a storm, and sending one of her servants, disguised as Mercury, to urge Aeneas to go home. Dido cannot bear losing Aeneas and kills herself.
Press
"I've never seen or heard a Dido chorus that changed character so effectively between one scene and the next, both physically and vocally... Sarah Latto credits [Eamonn Dougan] as well as movement director Monica Nicolaides with the imagination and attention o detail that produced such an engaging performance." (Choir and Organ, Clare Stevens)
"Given the confines of a chancel, there were no props or scenery. It mattered not. The music-making here was uniformly high class... Monica Nicolaides' management of movement and choreography was equally adept...ensured that the action remained expeditious and clear-cut despite the confined spaces. Magical. " (Yorkshire Press, Martin Dreyer)
"I've never seen or heard a Dido chorus that changed character so effectively between one scene and the next, both physically and vocally... Sarah Latto credits [Eamonn Dougan] as well as movement director Monica Nicolaides with the imagination and attention o detail that produced such an engaging performance." (Choir and Organ, Clare Stevens)
"Given the confines of a chancel, there were no props or scenery. It mattered not. The music-making here was uniformly high class... Monica Nicolaides' management of movement and choreography was equally adept...ensured that the action remained expeditious and clear-cut despite the confined spaces. Magical. " (Yorkshire Press, Martin Dreyer)