Stunning acrobatics, a forlorn farewell: Dido and Aeneas in Sydney

Anna Dowsley (Dido)

Circa Ensemble in Dido and Aeneas

Jane Ede (Belinda), Anna Dowsley (Dido) and the Opera Australia Chorus

Anna Dowsley (Dido) and Nicholas Jones (Aeneas)

By Zoltán Szabó, 18 March 2025

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“never less than enthralling”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 13 March 2025

Purcell, Dido and Aeneas

Opera Australia

Erin Helyard, Conductor

Yaron Lifschitz, Director, Set Designer

Libby McDonnell, Costume Designer

Matthew Marshall, Lighting Designer

Opera Australia Orchestra

Opera Australia Chorus

Anna Dowsley, Dido, Sorceress

Nicholas Jones, Aeneas

Jane Ede, Belinda

Sian Sharp, 2nd Woman

Angela Hogan, 1st Enchantress

Keara Donohoe, 2nd Enchantress

Cathy-Di Zhang, Mercury, Spirit

Gregory Brown, Sailor

Circa, Circus ensemble

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

Sandra Bowdler, 17th March

Eugene Onegin returns to the Sydney Opera house in Kasper Holten’s slightly awkward production but the singing and orchestral playing are exemplary.

****1

Humperdinck hobbled in Opera Australia revival

Jeremy Eccles, 27th January

Elijah Moshinsky’s 33-year-old production of Hansel and Gretel hasn’t aged well.

***11

A psychological Turandot in Ann Yee's Opera Australia staging

Sandra Bowdler, 15th January

Opera Australia's new Turandot succeeds with musical, dramatic and visual values with a mix of local and imported talent.

****1

Siobhan Stagg leads a strong Marriage of Figaro revival in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 31st July

Siobhan Stagg is an outstanding Susanna in a strongly cast and well produced Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House

****1

Watery magic as Nicole Car makes a triumphant return to Sydney

Jeremy Eccles, 19th July

Nicole Car makes her role debut as Dvořák's Rusalka in a production by Sarah Giles that proves a winner.

****1

Danielle de Niese makes Carmen debut in a colourful new Sydney staging

Sandra Bowdler, 10th July

Danielle de Niese's assumes the title role at the Sydney Opera House, leading an impressive cast with an interesting approach to characterisation with a somewhat over the top blingy setting.

****1

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Zoltán Szabó

Zoltán Szabó is a cellist and musicologist. Having migrated from his native Hungary to Australia in 1985, he worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney until 1991, when he became Principal Cello with Opera Australia. In 2017, he was awarded with a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). Currently, he is teaching music history and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Stunning acrobatics, a forlorn farewell: Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in Sydney