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Dido and Aeneas @ Josaphat Arts Hall 1/31 From the pert, pleated-skirted school girls and their saucy prologue to the screaming witches cursing our hero and heroine from the balcony Dido & Aeneas (as envisioned by Apollo's Fire) never had it so good. The performance, stage-directed with brilliance by Marie-Nathalie Lacoursiere, brought light to a winter day. Artistic Director Jeannette Sorrell's interpretation of Henry Purcell's 1689 opera paid tribute to its Restoration origins by emphasizing dancing, bawdy humor, drunken sailors and -- of course -- romantic passion and betrayal.

Meredith Hall (Dido) personalized and gave tuneful beauty to the Queen's big number (a poignant farewell to life) without turning it into a set-piece for Baroque opera, as so often happens. In a tour de force of acting and singing genius, Sandra Simon as gentle Belinda acted as if she really cared for Queen Dido and (after a quick costume switch) as if she really hated her (as a Gene Simmons "Kiss" style witch).

Baritone Sumner Thompson's straight-forward, humorless Aeneas seemed just the fellow to chose duty over love. Dancers Robin Gilbert Campos and Carlos Fittante (choreographer) nearly stole the show with delightful antics and metaphorical flourishes and flashes. Meg Bragle (the Sorceress on the balcony) and Abigail Haynes Lennox (as lady-in-waiting and witch) also added fire, great voice (and laughs).

Tenor Scott Mello did a fine "drunken sailor." Even the Apollo's Singers took to the stage for comic dance turns--which they did with good humor and grace.

The instrumental selections from King Arthur and other past hits which preceded the drama showed once again that Apollo's Fire instrumentalists are first-rate. Saucy school girls Kelsey Ferguson, Gabrielle Haigh, Augusta McKay Lodge, Allison Miller, and Allison Paetz had just the right "attitude" to open the opera. Caroline Guilbault's elegantly constructed costumes and Cassie Goldbach's lighting also played a strong part in this rescue of Baroque opera from history's dusty shelves.

Learn more about Apollo's Fire and follow their schedule at http://www.apollosfire.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com
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