Also known as GTG, the Grand Théâtre de Genève was built in 1879 by architect Jacques-Elysée Goss. It boasts its imposing size of 1,521 seats. The theater has its own chorus and ballet, sharing its repertoire of large-scale operas, ballets, recitals and chamber concerts year after year. From February 20 to 26, GTG presented Henry Purcell’s opera <Dido and Aeneas>, a co-production staged with France’s Opéra de Lille and Luxembourg’s Théâtres de la Ville. The opera made itself all the more noticeable due to its collaboration with le Concert d’Astrée (France’s Baroque ensemble led by conductor Emmanuelle Haim) and Peeping Tom (Belgium’s contemporary dance company led by choreographer Franck Chartier). This creative performance combines opera, dance and theater and it was acclaimed by the media and public. I was also there to enjoy the show.
Henry Purcell, a master of theater music, completed this three-act opera based on the Aeneid, an epic poem by ancient poet Virgile (70-19 BC), using a libretto written by Nahum Tate. The opera premiered in 1689 in Chelsea, London, England.
Here is the synopsis of <Dido and Aeneas>. Defeated at the Trojan war, Aeneas wanders around with his son and surviving Trojans. He then reaches Carthago where he meets Dido, a queen who lost her husband the king. Aeneas and Dido fall in love as if by destiny. But a witch gets in the way of their relationship with her wicked scheme while Aeneas needs to accomplish his mission of rebuilding his country. So the man and woman end up separating. Gazing at Aeneas’s ship leaving Carthago in deep sorrow, Dido laments her fate and takes her own life. This tragic story became not only the theme of Henry Purcell’s opera but also that of Hector Berlioz’s opera <Les Troyens>. The story also inspired numerous painters.
Purcell’s original opera is quite short, which is about 50 minutes. But GTG’s newest version takes an hour and 50 minutes, adding something new to the original story. This additional part of the story was created by choreographer Franck Chartier and his dance company Peeping Tom. The entire performance is in English.
ⓒAurelien Bergot