OCTOBER 2005

A Season of Historical Innovation
by Christina M. Frangos

The musicians of Handel and Haydn are preparing for another exciting season. “I’m inspired to think big, to think difficult, to think virtuosic, but also to look for small scale, intimate chamber repertoire, which is suited to the individual prowess of the players and singers,” says Music Director Grant Llewellyn. The 2005-2006 season presents just that – beloved masterpieces, large-scale oratorios and symphonies, and intimate chamber music. In each performance, audiences can expect to hear Baroque and Classical era instruments that make the Society’s concerts a truly unique experience.

The season opens with Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas (Oct. 14, 15, and 16) in a unique production with internationally recognized stage director Chen Shi-Zheng. Adapted from Virgil’s Aeneid, Dido and Aeneas tells the tale of amorous betrayal and heartbreak. Dido, Queen of Carthage, falls in love with Aeneas, Prince of Troy. With a plot to destroy Carthage and its queen, witches disguised as gods lure Aeneas away from his love, never to return again. Dido, publicly humiliated, kills herself in sadness and despair. The set is a solitary island, surrounded by actual water. Inventive videography and lighting create special effects, including a frightening storm and a blazing fire in the final scene.

Continue reading this article.
More articles from this issue