Handel — Duets & Cantatas — Reflections/review by Lenka Harigelová
A Captivating Dido with Il Pomo d’Oro
Henry Purcell
Dido and Aeneas
Joyce DiDonato — mezzo-soprano
Michael Spyres — baritone-tenor
Fatma Said — soprano
Carlotta Colombo — soprano
Beth Taylor — mezzo-soprano
Hugh Cutting — countertenor
Laurence Kilsby — tenor
Alena Dantcheva — soprano
Anna Piroli — soprano
Il Pomo d'Oro Choir, Giuseppe Maletto — choir director
Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev — conductor
Erato 2284884
review by Lukáš M. Vytlačil
The opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell (1659‒1695) certainly does not belong among works that suffer from a lack of attention. It is frequently performed both on stage and in concert, and it has also been captured in a large number of recordings. There are several reasons for this. Musicians themselves often point to its convenient length, as there are not many operas that fit entirely within a single hour. The principal reason, however, lies in the work’s high musical quality, its effective dramatic structure, and, not least, its unique position within English Baroque music, in which the opera rightfully holds a distinguished place.
For a long time, the origin of the work was associated with the year 1688, when the opera was performed at a residence institution for unmarried gentlewomen in Chelsea, followed by the printed publication of the libretto by the poet Nahum Tate (1652‒1715) in 1689. Thanks to more recent research, however, it has been established that the work should be dated earlier, to the turn of 1683/1684, when it was performed at the court of King Charles II of England, together with the opera Venus and Adonis by John Blow. Whether the work existed at that time in the same form as we know it today, or whether Purcell later revised the original version, unfortunately remains unknown. No source preserving the work in its authentic form has survived. Despite these uncertainties, the piece rightly ranks among the iconic representatives not only of the Baroque opera genre but also of English national musical heritage, in which Purcell is firmly established as one of its principal figures.
As mentioned in the introduction, the discography of the work is truly extensive. However, the recording released in 2025 by the Erato label (catalogue number 5021732284884) should certainly not go unnoticed. The principal roles are performed by outstanding soloists. The role of Dido, Queen of Carthage, is taken by the well-known mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, the Trojan prince Aeneas is sung by tenor-baritone Michael Spyres, and Dido’s confidante Belinda by soprano Fatma Said. Their performances are not only technically flawless and demonstrate supreme vocal mastery; the technique is fully at the service of the musical and dramatic interpretation of the work. This strongly stimulates the listener’s imagination, and even through a “mere” audio recording, the deeply tragic events – ultimately culminating in the deaths of both Aeneas and the unfortunate Dido – are conveyed with striking immediacy.
Excellent support for the principal soloists is provided by the other singers in smaller roles: Carlotta Colombo (soprano), Hugh Cutting (countertenor), Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano), Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Alena Dantcheva (soprano), and Anna Piroli (soprano). Equally outstanding is the performance of the ensemble and choir Il Pomo d’Oro: they were well prepared by harpsichordist and artistic leader Maxim Emelyanchev. The ensemble performs with remarkable precision; more importantly, it accompanies the soloists with great sensitivity and makes full, uncompromising use of the entire dynamic range. In particular, the skilful use of soft piano dynamic nuances enhances the melancholic atmosphere of certain sections and creates space for the effective deployment of contrasting dynamics in other parts of the opera.
The recording thus offers an exceptionally high-quality account and represents a valuable interpretative contribution to the reception of English Baroque music prior to the arrival of George Frideric Handel.