Dido and Aeneas
Opera

Opera in three acts by Henry Purcell
Text by Nahum Tate

Premiere 05.04.2025

  • Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes without a break
  • Interesting for people 16+
  • In English, with German surtitles

Between dream and reality

The Belgian dance theater collective Peeping Tom stages Henry Purcell's opera as a surreal and highly emotional Gesamtkunstwerk. The mythological love story between the Queen of Carthage and the Trojan war returnee is combined here with the obsessive fantasy of a rich and powerful widow who identifies with the opera heroine Dido. Victim of an unattainable love, she confronts her existential loneliness in the evening of her life with destructive madness. Following its great success in Geneva, this visually powerful and moving production is now coming to Basel. The baroque orchestra La Cetra interprets Purcell's music, while the contemporary composer Atsushi Sakai expands the work with new compositions and lends the tragedy a mystical dimension. The Swiss soprano Marie-Claude Chappuis sings the role of Dido.

With the kind support of the patrons' circle and the L. & TH. La Roche Foundation

A production of the Grand Théâtre de Genève in co-production with the Opéra de Lille and the Théâtres de la ville de Luxembourg

Shortly before the premiere, during the final rehearsals, we invite you to a first exclusive insight. In an introduction at the beginning, you will get to know the artistic team and learn more about the play, the material and the production. You will then attend a stage rehearsal.

  • ‹Dido and Aeneas›, 31 March 2025
  • Meeting point: Foyer
  • CHF 10.-
  • Usually in German

 

Together with the dramaturgy department, the Basel Kulturhaus Bider & Tanner has been curating the book table for our plays for many years. Now this selection of books, CDs, DVDs, catalogues and sheet music is available at any time in the online shop. It's worth browsing regularly.

Book table

 

D'une puissance esthétique et symbolique hors normes

Le Temps

Une scénographie saisissante

Le Temps

Une vision moderne et baroque qui nous emporte

RTS

Quelle musicalité, quelle énergie!

Resmusica

Ce Didon & Enée ne laissera personne indifférent

Léman bleu

C’est un spectacle qu’il faut absolument aller voir

Léman bleu

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