Dido and Aeneas is a one-act opera by Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The date of composition is unknown, with scholars
Event Details
Dido and Aeneas is a one-act opera by Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The date of composition is unknown, with scholars placing the work between 1683-1688. Dido and Aeneas is based on Book IV of Virgil’s The Aeneid, set in 12th century BCE, the opera follows the hero Aeneas, having recently escaped the fall of Troy. On his way toward the Italian coast, he stops in Carthage, what is now modern-day Tunisia. There, he meets Dido, Queen of Carthage, only to find that her kingdom is on the verge of collapse. Though their love has the potential to restore both Carthage and Troy to their former strengths, the evil Sorceress takes on the role of fate, conjuring up several obstacles to Dido and Aeneas’ love, ensuring the fall of Carthage will continue unimpeded.
