The Stage

Dido and Aeneas/Acis and Galatea

Published Wednesday 1 April 2009 at 17:25 by George Hall

Choreographer Wayne McGregor directs this double bill in which members of the Royal Ballet join the Royal Opera for a joint tribute to Purcell and Handel in their anniversary years.

The Dido staging, with sets by Hildegard Bechtler, costumes by Fotini Dimou and lighting by Lucy Carter, has already been seen at La Scala. It works superbly, with all the elements of the show moving seamlessly together to articulate Purcell’s potent miniature tragedy.

Sarah Connolly rises to the grand emotional challenge of Dido, with Lucas Meachem solid as the vacillating Aeneas and Lucy Crowe a cheerfully supportive Belinda. The witches are cleverly presented, with Sara Fulgoni leading the forces of darkness. Conductor Christopher Hogwood maintains taut control of the score, with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the pit.

Acis and Galatea is not so sure-fire, partly because its mode is not as inherently theatrical - Handel never seems to have presented it with stage action - and partly because here McGregor generally separates the choreography from the rest of the staging. In effect, there are two centres of interest competing for our attention. Bechtler’s designs give us a rather grubby Arcadia and Hogwood’s conducting has its lethargic moments. The broadly light-hearted tone is missed.

But Charles Workman sings a vigorous Acis, Matthew Rose a menacing comic-grotesque Polyphemus and Danielle de Niese is sheer delight as Galatea, even throwing in some elegant dancing.