The ears have it: Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas on the Cutty Sark

Karima El Demerdasch (Dido)

Dido and Aeneas aboard the Cutty Sark

Hubert Zapiór (Aeneas)

Johanna Wallroth (Belinda) and Karima El Demerdasch (Dido)

By Mark Valencia, 22 May 2026

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“the harmonious melding of voices and instruments was blissful”

Reviewed at Royal Museums Greenwich: Cutty Sark, London on 21 May 2026

Purcell, Dido and Aeneas (Immersive production)

Jonathan Sells, Conductor

Andrew Staples, Director

English Baroque Soloists

Monteverdi Choir

Karima El Demerdasch, Dido

Hubert Zapiór, Aeneas

Johanna Wallroth, Belinda

Bethany Horak-Hallett, Sorceress

Sofia Kirwan-Baez, 1st Enchantress

Zoë Brookshaw, 2nd Woman

Rebekah Jones, 2nd Enchantress

Robert Davies, Sailor

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****1

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Sacred and secular, operatic and symphonic dimensions united in a thrilling climax to the London Philharmonic Orchestra's season.

****1

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Laurence Vittes, 17th May

Gustavo Dudamel's concept of a semi-staged Fidelio in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre gives a voice to Beethoven so enormous that those with hearing impairments can surely hear.

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An outstanding Elijah from SCO and Maxim Emelyanychev

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A Schumann premiere at the BBC Proms, revived with loving care by Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO.

****1

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.