English Touring Opera: Ariadne / Dido & Aeneas – Double Bill

What is Ariadne / Dido & Aeneas?

Ariadne / Dido & Aeneas is a powerful operatic double bill presented by English Touring Opera, bringing two haunting stories of love, abandonment and loss to the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield.

Combining a modern one-act opera with a Baroque masterpiece, the evening explores how love defines absence — and how betrayal can echo across centuries.

What is Ariadne about?

In Ariadne, the abandoned daughter of King Minos wakes alone on the shore to find Theseus gone. Having helped him escape Crete — leaving behind her home, family and former life — she is left to reckon with love, betrayal and silence.

This intimate first half sets Glyn Maxwell’s poem Ariadne to Theseus to music by Elena Langer, creating a poignant one-act drama that gives voice to absence and grief through lyrical intensity and emotional focus.

What is Dido & Aeneas?

The second half features Henry Purcell’s operatic masterpiece Dido and Aeneas, based on Virgil’s Aeneid.

Queen Dido of Carthage prepares to marry the Trojan hero Aeneas — but jealousy and revenge intervene. Manipulated by dark forces, Aeneas abandons Dido, leading to one of opera’s most devastating endings.

Renowned for its expressive music and emotional clarity, Dido and Aeneas remains one of the greatest tragedies in the operatic canon.

Why see this double bill?

Together, these two works form a compelling dialogue across time:

• Ancient myth retold through a modern lens

• Baroque tragedy paired with contemporary opera

• Two women abandoned by the men they love

It’s an evening that balances intimacy and grandeur, combining powerful storytelling with music of extraordinary emotional depth.

Who is this event for?

This performance will appeal to:

• Opera lovers and classical music fans

• Audiences interested in myth, literature and drama

• Those curious about contemporary opera alongside classics

• Anyone seeking enriching, thought-provoking things to do in Sheffield

(Suitable for ages 11+)

🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/english-touring-opera-ariadne-and-dido-aeneas