OCTOBER 2005

Dido and Aeneas:
A Conversation with Chen Shi-Zheng

The Handel and Haydn Society celebrates the opening of its 191st season with three fully staged performances of Henry Purcell’s musical drama, Dido and Aeneas, October 14-16 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre. This tragic tale of desire, betrayal, and unconquerable love, will be brought to life by the Handel and Haydn Chorus and Period-Instrument Orchestra, a stellar cast, and Music Director Grant Llewellyn. Chen Shi-Zheng, who directed the Society’s internationally acclaimed performances of Monteverdi’s Vespers in 2003, returns to direct this operatic masterpiece. During rehearsals for Dido and Aeneas, Mr. Chen sat down with the Handel and Haydn Society to discuss his love for the opera and the inspiration behind this groundbreaking production.

Handel and Haydn Society: Dido, Queen of Carthage falls deeply in love with Aeneas, the Trojan prince. A cadre of witches, a sorceress and an elf conspire to destroy this love. How does Dido’s tragic fate play out in the opera?

Chen Shi-Zheng: First, the whole opera centers on Dido. All of the action, the music, it all rests on Dido. In the beginning, she’s on Carthage , a little island, waiting for Aeneas to return. And at the end of the story, she will be left alone again when Aeneas leaves.

She is humiliated by Aeneas' rejection and chooses to die rather than live with the shame. That image haunts me. It’s an incredible story of a love that cannot be compromised. I wanted to create a production to show how disturbing that kind of longing is.

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