Mallarmé Chamber Players and North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir Presenting a Rare Performance of Purcell’s Opera Dido and Aeneás

This preview has been provided by Mallarmé Chamber Players.

To close the 2013-2014 concert season, the Raleigh-based North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir and the Durham-based Mallarmé Chamber Players collaborate for two concert performances of the Baroque opera, Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. The opera tells the tragic tale of Queen Dido’s love for the Trojan hero Aeneas. Purcell’s work is filled with lively dances, singing witches, sailors, huntsmen, cupids, and courtiers. Soloists for the performances are longtime NCMC Chamber Choir members: soprano Johanna O’Dell, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Seiger and bass David Mellnik. The all-Purcell program also includes the anthem “Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem” and The Gordian Knot Untied.

This is a first-time collaboration for the organizations that will be performing with a chamber chorus of 16-voices, the three vocal soloists and a small chamber ensemble of baroque period instruments, including some unique instruments like the violone and theorbo.  The performances are Monday, May 19 in Durham and Tuesday, May 20 in Raleigh; both concerts are at 7:30pm.