Isabelle
Mathiesen
Gregg
Perkins
FMX211
January
11, 2019
Dido
and Aeneas
The opera Dido and Aeneas was composed by Henry Purcell, an English Baroque
composer, prior July of 1688, in order to dramatize a story of a queen’s love
for a Trojan hero, in the form of song. The strategic use of mise en scène brought
the play to life in a way that made the audience feel they were actually there.
Advanced technology and a creative mind can change the way an audience watches
an opera like this one, so it was important that Purcell achieve his goals. Mise
en scène focuses on drawing out feelings like empathy, fear, exhilaration, etc.
With themes like sense of duty and self-denial, it is important to be in touch
with the audience. Purcell originally composed the opera for a female boarding
school. In order to come together, adaptations were made to deal with constraints
involving limited orchestra and amateur singers. With time, the opera ended up
laying a foundation for English opera.
This could not have happened if Purcell
had not accepted the restraints he faced in his production. He moved away from
the profusion of baroque opera. The sets and machinery would not live up to
Purcell’s true vision of the play. Nonetheless, the first audiences were
thrilled and infatuated with the dances, sorceress, and highly-accessible music.
During such a neo-classical time, it is shocking that Purcell decided to go
against the common fashion of England at this time. Dido and Aeneas truly brought together entertainment and fantasy.
Dido
and Aeneas begins with Queen Dido expressing her sorrow over her undying
love for Aeneas, the Trojan hero. She repeatedly sings, “peace and I are
strangers grown.” By the end of act one Aeneas arrives and proposes to Dido.
Her attendants had been wise to tell her previously that he loves her as well.
Act two involves a sorcerer planning to break up Aeneas and Dido in order to kill
Dido with a broken heart. They prepare a spell and then disappear from stage.
Following this scene of act two, Dido and Aeneas enter the grove to admire the
wholesomeness of attendants carrying goods and family picnics. When the two
hear thunder Dido and her servants leave stage while Aeneas is caught up with the
disguised sorcerer’s elf. He believes the gods are truly calling him to
Carthage and realizes he must leave Dido. Act three presents the forthcoming departure
of the Trojan fleet. The sorceress is delighted because her plan is working.
Back at the palace Dido is dismal to realize Aeneas is gone. He suddenly returns,
and she rejects him because he was so close to truly abandoning her. She now
sings, “death must come when he is gone.” The opera ends with Dido’s death.
A plot with such a rollercoaster of
emotions is sure to tug at the audience’s heart, if presented in the way that this
opera successfully was. Mise en scène is, “the process of setting a stage, with
regard to placement of actors, scenery, properties, etc.” or, “the culmination
of many different moving parts that coalesce for the camera.” This means that everything
in the frame of this opera can adequately carry true meaning.
An essential aspect of the mise en
scène of this opera is the setting. With such a great impact on the visuals, it
is imperative that the location holds meaning to the characters and plot. Act
one takes place in Dido’s court. This is a prime location for her to be
confiding in her attendants over her love for Aeneas, and what better place for
him to propose than her own court. Following, the grove is an overwhelmingly
wholesome environment for that particular scene. This joy does not last long as
the following scene is at the harbor when Aeneas nearly leaves Dido for good.
At the palace Dido is once again in a comfortable place and once again heart
broken. The multiple settings of the play make it feel as if it was shot in
multiple locations. Within every different setting, the elaborate sets included
a copious amount of decor that are symbolic of the story. There are noticeably brighter
colors during happier moments of the opera and darker colors to symbolize Dido’s
sadness and the sorceress’ evil. The air is also incredibly hazy to indicate
whenever the evil sorceress is present. Lighting is bright and warm toned to
indicate the cheerful moments like the one in the grove. For the depressing
scenes there are often props like torches to light up the scene. This ambient
smoke and fire brought the play to life. Also, depth of space was just as
important; the depth of the image on screen and the object that is in focus
will emphasize what is important to pay attention to at the moment. Dido was
almost always the focus, so it is evident that she is the most important aspect
of the plot. Finally, the costumes and makeup will tell you much more about the
characters and their roles. Obviously, Queen Dido is dressed well because of
her role and importance in the play. Costumes and makeup clearly show who the
servants are.
A change in the setting, decor, lighting,
depth of image, or costumes and makeup, would have the audience reacting incredibly
different while watching this opera. Mise en scène is an opportunity to tell a
story visually. Technology used to create these different aspects of the
production were far different back when the opera was first produced. In more current
times, the economy and technology would allow Purcell to go even further with
production.
Opera can tell a story and the singing
will draw out new meanings and lessons. An opera accompanied by improving
technology is sure to capture the eye of the audience. Entertainment was
quickly improving in the 1600s. Imagine if this particular opera was a game:
the objective is to use the available funds and technology to put on the
perfect play. Level one is act one. There is a lack of professional actors and
funds for production. The player must cast the proper amount of servants for
Dido and build the perfect set for Dido’s court. Level two is reached when the
quality of act one’s preformation is up to par. Level two consists of building
onto the set and plot of the game. The player will receive more funds and technology
for production and must divvy up the funds. Same goes for level three and act
three of the opera. Each level will be more challenging to put on the most
quality opera. This game will emphasize the difficulty Purcell endured while
producing his world famous opera, Dido
and Aeneas.
Sources:
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