John Blow – Venus and Adonis
Henry Purcell – Dido and Aeneas
The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, NW8 8EH
20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28 May at 19.30: 22, 29 May at 16.00
seats selling now…. for tickets (click here)
Strong, powerful and dynamic women are caught up in love that will sap both their identity and their agency; for them, love proves fundamentally unkind….
HGO’s new magical double-bill production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis and Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at The Cockpit Theatre explores both comedy and the darkness and sorrow that can brew in the heart of love and passion and opens this Friday!
Download the programme here for free – it is a flipbook which you can use and store on your computer or mobile device, or print out. (Free cast-lists, with plot synopses, will be available at the theatre on the night.)
Dating from the 1680s, these two peaks of English opera range from comedy and sharp satire to the darkness and sorrow that can brew in the heart of love and passion. Both founded on classical myths, Venus is also a caustic commentary on the voluptuous court of Charles II, and Dido touches profound emotional depths.
Our production, directed by Jessica Dalton, reflects both the era when the operas were written and the permanence of their story-lines in the present day. Our music director Seb Gillot has prepared new editions of the operas and leads a baroque ensemble of strings, theorbo, guitar, oboe, recorder and continuo. The intimate atmosphere of The Cockpit Theatre adds to the production’s magic. We are excited and delighted that Dame Emma Kirkby, one of the country’s leading lights in early English music, has given coaching to the outstanding young singers, on the brink of their operatic careers, who as always we are proud to present in our casts. This a unique opportunity to encounter and revel in these enchanting works.
We are giving eight performances between 20 May 20th and 29 May – if you have not yet booked, click here to purchase direct from the theatre. Sunday performances (22 and 29 May) are at 16.00, all other performances are at 19.30. The ticket price is £32: a limited number of concession tickets for under-25s are available at the special price of £15 for the performances on 21, 22, 25 and 26 May. The theatre charges a small additional booking fee.
HGO look forward to seeing you at this exciting double-bill at The Cockpit!