DIDO AND AENEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1937, Page 18

DIDO AND AENEAS.

W.E.A. OPERA CLUB SUCCESS. CLASSIC PERFORMANCE. Charming music and tasteful performances, together with beautiful lighting effects and simple but dignified settings, helped to make the performance of Henry Pureell's classic opera, "Dido and Aeneas," given by«the W..E.A. Opera Club, in the Old Grammar : Scljool,,"a most enjoyable experience for those present. , The subject of the opera is the* tragic story of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Prince Aeneas; while the opera jt«elf is a classic in that it is the earliest English opera that has survived. For this latter reason alone it deserves the attention of ?ttjr students of j music. - ; s ' > ' j

From Belinda's- opening, solo,. "Shake the cloud from off your brow," to Dido's immortal lament,-/'When,l aril, laid in earth," and; ! the; closing chorus? "With drooping wnigs," there is much to charm the ear in Pureell's Old World music. Of the various chorueee, one of the most pleading was that sung 6v the witches; "InjStlteee fleep vaulted 'cells," with its quafiit echo'response. Too much praise cannot be given to the really beautiful and most striking lighting effects on Saturday evening and again last evening, more particularly in the scenes "Witches' Cave" and "By" the Fountain.of Diana." ' Variety and movement were, added to the production by several ballets. A small string orchestra, with piano, provided the accompaniments, and also'played eight dances composed by Parcel) as incidental music to Congreve's play "The Old Bachelor."

Aα •striot anonymity is preserved til rough out the production, no names beinar mentioned on the ■ programme, it would he unfair to single out individual performances. It may he said, however, that the work throughout was marked l>y fine team work, commendable enthusiasm and conscientious attention to detail. There is, at the same time, a need for cleaner and clearer articulation. Notwithstanding occasional lapses in intonation, vocal and instrumental, producer and players alike are to be congratulated upon a remarkably fine achievement.