Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney.
13 March 2025.
Opera Australia’s recent production of Dido and Aeneas was a bold and visually stunning collaboration with Circa, Australia’s premier contemporary circus company. Staged at the iconic Joan Sutherland Theatre within the Sydney Opera House, this production, originally created by Opera Queensland, successfully merged the haunting baroque opera by Henry Purcell with breathtaking acrobatics and physical theatre.
From the moment the curtain rose, the audience was transported into a world where music and movement intertwined. The evocative score, led by conductor Erin Helyard, provided a rich tapestry for the vocal performances. Mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley’s portrayal of Dido was particularly captivating, conveying the character’s tragic emotional depth with both power and subtlety. Her lament, “When I am laid in earth,” resonated through the hall, leaving an indelible impression on the audience. Nicholas Jones as Aeneas was also strong and well-matched to Dowsley, bringing depth to the role.
The collaboration with Circa added a striking physical dimension to the production. The choreography included integration with singers, albeit awkwardly at times, and the use of circus apparatus. The acrobats’ fluid, gravity defying movements made some attempts to mirror the emotional highs and lows of the narrative, perhaps aimed at enhancing the drama and tension on stage. However, while the prologue – two performers entwined in an embrace that broke off and melded into the first scene – was captivating, the choreography often felt disconnected from this narrative. Circa seemed to rely more on awe-inspiring circus feats than on serving the narrative arc of the story. Influenced from Greek mythology, the structural thread of the work felt somewhat lacking by contemporary standards. The narrative structure is outdated, and Dido’s heartbreak, leading to her death, felt unconvincing – there was little time for the lovers to connect. Dowsley’s performance was not the problem, the whole premise and structure of the writing is, and no matter the attempt to update and outdated work by adding in circus, this weakness was further exacerbated by Circa’s choreography. A collaboration with a dance company may have offered a more cohesive and polished physical interpretation, and brought this work into the modern era.
This disconnection is perhaps rooted in the aesthetic conventions of the Baroque era, where emotional expression was often conveyed through symbolism and allegory rather than direct realism – the opera’s brevity and stylized narrative reflect the traditions of 17th century English masque and court entertainment, which prioritized spectacle and moral instruction over psychological depth. To modern audiences accustomed to more naturalistic storytelling, this can create a sense of emotional distance.
A truly creative and integrative moment was when two poles extended to the ceiling on a background of red lit scrim, allowing for some fascinating climbing and stunning shapes that seemed to represent reaching for the gods, and perhaps death. More of these moments could really have made this work shine.
The minimalist yet evocative set design (Yaron Lifschitz) allowed Circa performers’ physicality to shine, while the lighting design (Matthew Marshall) added a moody, almost ethereal atmosphere that perfectly complemented the opera’s themes of love and loss. The costumes, designed by Libby McDonnell, kept it simple: black lace tops – a modernised nod to the masquerade – which became short-legged unitards for the Circa cast, and wide-legged, leather-like pants. Dido was elegantly dressed in a full-length black sequinned gown and bright red-haired wig, which she removed to become the Sorceress, revealing a confronting bald head and a nude / black full-length, tightly fitted gown. Aeneas wore black tie, perhaps representing his own disconnect.
The opera chorus was stunning, with the blend of voices creating a heavenly soundscape that added emotional depth to the production. Conductor Helyard’s interpretation of Purcell’s score was both dynamic and sensitive, allowing the orchestra to breathe life into the music while supporting the vocalists with finesse.
In a city renowned for its vibrant arts scene, Opera Australia’s Dido and Aeneas stood out as a triumph of innovation and artistry, despite its flaws. It was a testament to the power of artistic collaboration to push the boundaries of traditional performance.
By Linda Badger of Dance Informa.
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