Dido Dido

An intimate dance opera by Nicole Beutler | NBprojects, Silbersee and Ulrike Quade Company. Together, they bring the tragic fate of Queen Dido up close. Driven from her fatherland, abandoned by her beloved. Inspired by the well-known opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell.

Four singers and a dancer delve for the soul of Purcell’s masterpiece underneath the many layers of traditions and connotations. They sink their teeth into Dido’s final words: remember me, but ah! forget my fate.

Instruments from the far corners of the world breathe new life into Dido’s voice. A puppet, based on the Japanese tradition of Bunraku, springs to life. Endless repetition of Dido’s last aria has the effect of a charm as her song gets deeper and deeper under the spectator’s skin. Dido is not allowed to die…

Premiered on 9 November 2017.

,,The dolls designed by Ulrike Quade in the Japanse bunraku tradition move so curiously, so touching, so human. One of the men takes them into his arms and dances, in beautiful silence, for what seems like a lifetime.’’

★★★★ Theaterkrant

,,(…) proving that less can indeed be much much more and that finally there was no trouble, no trouble in, in thy breast. Excellent.’’

Arts Talk Magazine (Michael Hasted)

,,Dido Dido is phenomenally good. Moving from start to finish, and indeed breathtaking at the end.’’

El Balandre

,Try watching this without shedding a tear.’’

★★★★ Volkskrant

,,Possibly the most beautiful piece you will ever see.’’

★★★★★ Musicalnieuws

Credits

Direction and Choreography:: Nicole Beutler
Musical direction: Romain Bischoff
Concept: Nicole Beutler, Romain Bischoff
Performers: Maya Alban-Zapata, Raphaela Danksagmüller, Arnout Lems, Michaela Riener, Tiemo Wang, Heather Ware
Puppet design and puppetry coaching: Ulrike Quade
Costumes: Jessica Helbach
Set and lighting design: Sascha van Riel
Music: Henry Purcell, Wouter Snoei en performers
Painting backdrop: Ellen Windhorst en Bas Peeperkorn
Assistent director & dramaturgie: Fabienne Vegt
Assistents puppetry: Tim Hammer, Ruben Mardulier, Suze van Miltenburg, Pluck Venema
Artistic assistant: Justa ter Haar
Technique: Martin Kaffarnik, Wouter Snoei
Puppet creator: Watanabe Kazunori
Guidance choirs: Els Mondelaers
Production: NBprojects, Silbersee, Ulrike Quade Company

With regards to: Wout van Tongeren, Hillary Blake Firestone, Natascha Young and all the participating choirs

Poster image: Corinne Mercadier, Fata Morgana, serie Solo, 2012, courtesy Galerie Les filles du calvaire, Paris

DIDO DIDO is supported by: Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Fonds 21, VSBfonds en Fonds Podiumkunsten.