The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera join forces for Wayne McGregor’s acclaimed fusion of music and movement, whose richly layered designs perfectly complement Purcell’s telling of a classical tale of love thwarted by evil powers. With Sarah Connolly and Lucas Meachem in the title roles, Christopher Hogwood conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Filmed with High Definition cameras and recorded in true surround sound.

Dido, Queen of Carthage: Sarah Connolly
Aeneas, a Trojan prince: Lucas Meachem
Belinda, Dido’s maid: Lucy Crowe
Sorceress: Sara Fulgoni
Second Woman: Anita Watson
First Witch: Eri Nakamura
Second Witch: Pumeza Matshikiza
Spirit: Iestyn Davies
Sailor: Ji-Min Park

Dancers of The Royal Ballet: Olivia Cowley, Melissa Hamilton,
Cindy Jourdain, Iohna Loots, Kristen McNally, Samantha Raine, Paul Kay,
Brian Maloney, Steven McRae, Xander Parish, Liam Scarlett, Johannes Stepanek

The Royal Opera Extra Chorus
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Conductor: Christopher Hogwood
Stage Director: Wayne McGregor

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 3rd & 8th April 2009.

Reviews

‘Dido is perfectly integrated, and the expressively stylised movements that McGregor has devised for the singers make a fascinating contrast to the gyrations of the corps de ballet. …The casts were excellent. [Sarah Connolly] struck gold with a heartbreaking account of "When I am laid". The sensitivity of her acting and her intense musicality was striking throughout. Lucy Crowe made a delightful Belinda, with Lucas Meachem a quarterback hunk of an Aeneas. The young ad hoc chorus sang beautifully.’ The Telegraph