Dido And Aeneas Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Dido And Aeneas?
Dido and Aeneas is a heroic story of love, tragedy, and betrayal written by the 17th-century English poet, playwright, and composer Henry Purcell. It is based on Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid and tells the tale of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and her ill-fated romance with the Trojan refugee Aeneas.The story begins with Dido’s people having been driven from their homeland by the Greeks. She has taken up residence in Carthage where she has become the queen. One day while out hunting she meets Aeneas who is fleeing from Troy after it was destroyed by the Greeks. He falls in love with Dido and she returns his affections but he eventually departs for Italy to fulfill his destiny as founder of Rome despite Dido’s pleas for him to stay with her. After he leaves, Dido declares that no man will ever be able to replace him in her heart before killing herself on a funeral pyre out of grief over his departure. The opera reflects themes of loyalty, duty versus love, powerlessness against fate or divine will, as well as a woman’s determination to hold onto her dignity even in times of despair. It has been performed countless times since its first performance at London’s Josias Priest Theatre in 1689 and continues to be a popular classic today due to its beautiful music composed by Purcell which is often said to have captured emotions such as longing or sadness better than words can express them. Overall Dido & Aeneas is an enduring classic that highlights timeless issues such as loyalty versus duty or powerlessness against fate which many people can relate too even centuries after it was written. The fact that audiences are still captivated by this tragic yet beautiful story proves how powerful its message truly is.