La Didone
October 2006–June 2009
In The Wooster Group’s production of La Didone, Francesco Cavalli’s 1641 opera collides with Mario Bava’s cult movie Terrore nello spazio (1965), forming a synergy between early baroque opera and pre-moonlanding sci-fi.
Media & Ephemera
Dailies
From 2010 to around 2020, the Dailies was an online video series begun by the Group’s resident filmmaker at the time Zbigniew Bzymek. Most of Dailies videos follow his relationship to the company and its work, offering glimpses into our rehearsals and archives, as well as short films, interviews, and other behind-the-scenes materials. Dailies videos in the “from the archives” series were curated by the Group’s archivist Clay Hapaz. View more of the project here.
Production History
La Didone
- Dido: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeneas, Aeolus, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, voice of Cupid, Lady Ghost of Sichaeus: Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Shadow of Dido, Old Man, Guard: Kate Valk
- Shadow of Aeneas, Cupid, Ghost of Sichaeus: Ari Fliakos
- Shadow of Jarbas, boar: Scott Shepherd
- Acate: Judson Williams
Terrore Nello Spazio
- Sanya: Kate Valk
- Mark: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, Salas' body: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon: Judson Williams
- Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Eldon: John Young
- Kir: Andrew Nolen
The Band
- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink, David Walker
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
Production
- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Associate Director: Kate Valk
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Sound: Matt Schloss, Omar Zubair
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons, Andrew Schneider
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director & Baroque Gesture Coach: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Master Electrician: Rob Reese
- Rigger: Eric Dyer
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
- Cineturg: Dennis Dermody
- Surtitle Operation: Patrizio Annibaldi, Jeff Teeter
-
La Didone
- Dido: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeneas, Aeolus, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, voice of Cupid, Lady Ghost of Sichaeus: Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Shadow of Dido, Old Man, Guard: Kate Valk
- Shadow of Aeneas, Cupid, Ghost of Sichaeus: Ari Fliakos
- Shadow of Jarbas, boar: Scott Shepherd
- Acate: Judson Williams
Terrore Nello Spazio- Sanya: Kate Valk
- Mark: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, Salas' body: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon: Judson Williams
- Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Eldon: John Young
- Kir: Andrew Nolen
The Band- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink, David Walker
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Associate Director: Kate Valk
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Sound: Matt Schloss, Omar Zubair
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons, Andrew Schneider
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director & Baroque Gesture Coach: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Master Electrician: Rob Reese
- Rigger: Eric Dyer
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
- Cineturg: Dennis Dermody
- Surtitle Operation: Patrizio Annibaldi, Jeff Teeter
-
La Didone
- Dido: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeneas, Aeolus, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, voice of Cupid: Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Shadow of Dido, Old Man, Guard: Kate Valk
- Shadow of Aeneas, Cupid, Ghost of Sichaeus: Ari Fliakos
- Shadow of Jarbas, boar: Scott Shepherd
- Acate: Judson Williams
Terrore Nello Spazio- Sanya: Kate Valk
- Mark: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, Salas' body: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon: Judson Williams
- Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Eldon: John Young
- Kir: Andrew Nolen
The Band- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink, David Walker
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Sound: Matt Schloss, Omar Zubair
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons, Andrew Schneider
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director & Baroque Gesture Coach: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Master Electrician: Rob Reese
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
- Cineturg: Dennis Dermody
- Surtitle Operation: Alessandro Magania, Fanny Frohnmeyer
-
La Didone
- Dido: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeneas, Aeolus, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, voice of Cupid: Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Shadow of Dido, Old Man, Guard: Kate Valk
- Shadow of Aeneas, Cupid, Ghost of Sichaeus: Ari Fliakos
- Shadow of Jarbas, boar: Scott Shepherd
- Acate: Judson Williams
Terrore Nello Spazio- Sanya: Kate Valk
- Mark: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, Salas: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon: Judson Williams
- Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Salas: John Young
- Kir: Andrew Nolen
The Band- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton
- Sound: Matt Schloss, Omar Zubair
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons, Andrew Schneider
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director & Baroque Gesture Coach: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Master Electrician: Rob Reese
- Master Rigger: Eric Dyer
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
-
Cast
- Dido, Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeolus, Aeneas, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, Cupid (disguise as Ascanius): Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Sanya, shadow of Dido, Old Man, Guard: Kate Valk
- Mark, shadow of Aeneas, Ascanius, Ghost of Sichaeus: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, Salas, shadow of Jarbas, boar: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon, Acate: Judson Williams
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton, Gabe Maxson
- Sound: Matt Schloss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director & Baroque Gesture Coach: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
-
Cast
- Dido, Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeolus, Aeneas, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, Cupid (disguise as Ascanius): Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Acate: Judson Williams
- Sanya, shadow of Dido: Kate Valk
- Mark, shadow of Aeneas: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, various zombies, shadow of Jarbas: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon, various zombies, Acate: Judson Williams
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton, Gabe Maxson
- Sound: Matt Schloss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck, Joby Emmons
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
- Video Consultant: Reid Farrington
- Master Rigger: Eric Dyer
-
Cast
- Dido, Tiona: Hai-Ting Chinn
- Aeolus, Aeneas, Ghost Chorus: John Young
- Neptune, Jarbas, Ilioneus, Jove, Ghost Chorus: Andrew Nolen
- Juno, Mercury, Anna, Cupid (disguise as Ascanius): Kamala Sankaram
- Ghost of Sichaeus: Hank Heijink
- Sanya, shadow of Dido: Kate Valk
- Mark, shadow of Aeneas: Ari Fliakos
- Wess, various zombies, shadow of Jarbas: Scott Shepherd
- Dr. Karan, Burt, Eldon, various zombies, Acate: Judson Williams
- Theorbo, Baroque Guitar: Hank Heijink
- Electric Guitar: Harvey Valdes
- Keyboard: Jennifer Griesbach
- Accordion, Tambourine: Kamala Sankaram
Production- Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Music Director: Bruce Odland
- Set: Ruud van den Akker
- Lighting: Jennifer Tipton, Gabe Maxson
- Sound: Matt Schloss
- Video: Zbigniew Bzymek, Joby Emmons, Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck
- Production Manager: Bozkurt Karasu
- Assistant Director: Jennifer Griesbach
- Stage Manager: Teresa Hartmann
- Technical Director: Aron Deyo
- Costumes: Antonia Belt
- Video Consultant: Reid Farrington
- Master Rigger: Eric Dyer
Additional Credits
La Didone: music by Francesco Cavalli; libretto by Giovan Francesco Busenello. First performed at Carnevale 1641, Venice.
Additional text: Terrore nello spazio aka Planet of the Vampires, a film by Mario Bava, 1965.
Additional music: Johann Hieronymus Kapsperger, Colascione, 1640.
Thanks to: Maurice Camps, Liz De Sole, Isabelle Dumont, Motomi Igarashi, Felix Ivanov, Martin Keehn, Charlie Weaver, and the Angel Drensanz Foundation.
Production: The Wooster Group, KunstenFESTIVALdesArts
Coproduction: Edinburgh International Festival, Productiehuis Rotterdam (Rotterdamse Shouwburg), Grand Théâtre du Luxembourg, CC Belém (Lisbon)
Selected Press
Cavalli’s La Didone at St. Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn
Opera Today
April 2009
Aeneas and the Space Aliens
The Wall Street Journal
April 2009
Lost in Space With Dido and Aeneas
The New York Times
April 2009
17th century opera meets Planet of the Vampires
Let's Talk off-Broadway
March 2009
La Didone
The Times
August 2007