Dido Dido
an aria re-membered
in co-creation with NBprojects & Ulrike Quade Company
DIDO DIDO is an up-close confrontation with mythical Queen Dido’s tragic fate. Director / choreographer Nicole Beutler and her musical counterpart Romain Bischoff took their inspiration for this performance from Henry Purcell’s most celebrated aria: ‘Dido’s Lament’ from the opera Dido and Aeneas. Defeated by love and forsaken by her people, Dido decides to take her own life. “Remember me, but forget my fate.” It is the paradox in these last words however, that make her fate so hard to forget.
Six singer-musicians and one dancer are impassioned by Dido, as they breathe life into a puppet based on the Japanese tradition of Bunraku. As in a feverish dream they penetrate the very heart of Dido’s despair and will-power. With instruments from different corners of the world they deconstruct, repeat an rearrange the classical aria. In doing so, they are delaying the inevitable end, carving out time and space for a gentle letting go. DIDO DIDO: an incantational parting opera that crawls deep under the skin.
direction and choreography Nicole Beutler | musical directionRomain Bischoff | concept Nicole Beutler, Romain Bischoff | performers Maya Alban-Zapata, Raphaela Danksagmüller, Arnout Lems, Michaela Riener, Tiemo Wang, Heather Ware | musicHenry Purcell, Wouter Snoei en alle performers |puppet design and puppeteer coaching Ulrike Quade | puppet maker Watanabe Kazunori | costumesJessica Helbach |set and lighting designSascha van Riel |backdrop paintingEllen Windhorst en Bas Peeperkorn |directing and dramaturgical assistanceFabienne Vegt |artistic assistanceJusta ter Haar |puppeteering assistanceTim Hammer, Ruben Mardulier, Suze van Miltenburg, Pluck Venema | lightMartin Kaffarnik | soundWouter Snoei | coaching of choirsEls Mondelaers | productionNBProjects, Silbersee, Ulrike Quade Company | withmany thanks Hillary Blake Firestone, Natascha Young, Wout van Tongeren en alle deelnemende koren
photo credits © Corinne Mercadier, Fata Morgana, serie Solo, 2012, courtesy Galerie Les filles du calvaire, Paris |photography Anja Beutler
Past performances
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Past performances
Past performances
Past performances
Past performances
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Past performances
Past performances
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Past performances
- Wednesday 7 November 2018 – 20:45November Music - VerkadefabriekDen Bosch
- Friday 25 May 2018 – 22:30OperadagenRotterdam
- Friday 25 May 2018 – 19:00OperadagenRotterdam
- Saturday 10 February 2018 – 20:00SchouwburgAmstelveen
- Thursday 1 February 2018 – 20:30Parkstad Limburg TheatersHeerlen
- Wednesday 17 January 2018 – 20:30ToneelschuurHaarlem
- Monday 15 January 2018 – 12:30Theater ConcordiaEnschede
- Saturday 13 January 2018 – 20:00Plaza FuturaEindhoven
- Wednesday 10 January 2018 – 20:30Chassé TheaterBreda
- Saturday 23 December 2017 – 20:30StadsschouwburgUtrecht
- Tuesday 19 December 2017 – 20:15Theater aan het SpuiDen Haag
- Saturday 9 December 2017 – 20:30Theaters TilburgTilburg
- Friday 8 December 2017 – 20:30Theater Ins BlauLeiden
- Thursday 7 December 2017 – 20:00Corrosia Theater, Expo & FilmAlmere-Haven
- Saturday 2 December 2017 – 20:30De LaweiDrachten
- Friday 1 December 2017 – 20:15Concertgebouw De VereenigingNijmegen
- Friday 24 November 2017 – 20:30AinsiMaastricht
- Saturday 11 November 2017 – 20:30FrascatiAmsterdam
- Friday 10 November 2017 – 20:30FrascatiAmsterdam
- Thursday 9 November 2017 – 20:30FrascatiAmsterdam - première
- Wednesday 8 November 2017 – 20:30FrascatiAmsterdam - try-out
- Tuesday 7 November 2017 – 20:30FrascatiAmsterdam - try-out