Opera

Dido & Aeneas

As it was performed in 2006

HENRY PURCELL
Dido & Aeneas
Richard Egarr
conductor
Jan Decorte
director
Frank Agsteribbe
musical assistant
Johan Daenen & Jan Decorte
scenografics
Sigrid Vinks
dance
Octopus Kamerkoor
choir

Jan Decorte’s intimate, direct style manages to show us the essence of even the most inaccessible theater classics. Together with conductor Richard Egarr and the B’Rock orchestra, he has decided to take his own inimitable look at… the baroque opera. And, again, he manages to brush aside all overly pompous elements, and to show us the way towards the “big intelligibility” of one of his favorite composers: Henry Purcell. In the latter’s famous and only true opera, Dido and Aeneas are torn between two alternatives, but have to make a moral choice. Should they follow the divine command, or give in to their forbidden love?

Jan Decorte made his debut with the opera "Dido and Aeneas". The trump is the music.(...) B'Rock, a new Belgian ensemble, turned out to be a real surprise. Its sound stands for slim and no-nonsense. ...
Geert Van der Speeten De Standaard, 05.09.2006
Jan Decortes first operadirection scores a bull's eye. His Dido and Aeneas is a juwel of simplicity, emotion and accuracy. (...)(...) Richard Egarr conducts with lots of drive, but also with a ...
Stephan Moens De Morgen, 06.09.2006