Dido & Aeneas

​Henry Purcell

Sasha Waltz

​

Henry Purcell’s »Dido & Aeneas« is often described as the oldest love story in English opera. The production was a premiere for Sasha Waltz, marking the beginning of her work on »choreographic opera«. Together with 12 dancers from her ensemble and 51 musicians, choristers and soloists, she created her own interpretation of the opera »Dido & Aeneas«. The emotional and multi-faceted world of this, Purcell’s only complete opera, was the starting point for the choreographic work.

With »Dido & Aeneas«, Sasha Waltz successfully combined dance, music and song in a completely new way for the opera. Singers and choristers become part of an overall choreography, which sets them loose from their original roles and functions. With the help of the impressive ensemble, Sasha Waltz’s choreography goes far beyond the mere illustration of the opera’s story. »Dido & Aeneas«, a myth of flight, expulsion and love in times of war was acclaimed at its premiere in 2005 and at countless guest performances since.