Dido + Belinda

May 2019

Music by Henry Purcell and libretto by Nahum Tate, with additional narration by Madison Angus & Camille Rogers

A re-imagining of Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, OperaQ’s production of Dido + Belinda offers a new perspective on Purcell’s beloved one-act opera. With the addition of narration from the point of view of Dido’s closest confidante, Belinda, Dido + Belinda emphasizes many of the themes already found in the original text: the shame surrounding feminine sexuality, the entitlement of male privilege, and the societal pressure to conform to gender roles. Further, by casting singers of diverse genders in the leading roles, against expectations of standard gendered casting, Dido + Belinda challenges audiences to rethink the relationships between bodies and genders which are so often taken for granted.

John Gilkes of Operaramblings writes that "the balance between the comic and the tragic was well judged” and “the reemphasising of the story made sense and was well conveyed." Audience members as well as performers commented on the power of witnessing queer artists unashamedly express their authentic selves onstage.

The production was generously supported by: the University of Toronto Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Shelagh Donadio, Laura Martire, Christine & Ken Rogers, Charlotte Nediger & Tafelmusik, Alex Gilbert, Scott Martin & Chris Farris (Ryerson University), Andrea Budgey & Trinity College, Padina Bondar Designs, Kaitlyn Anthony, and Donovan Taplin.

Below: Photos by Emily Ding