These Precious Hours: Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas Reimagined
For the first time, Canberra Qwire (proudly LGBTQIA+) steps back in time, joining forces with some of the ACT’s finest musicians in their landmark performance, These Precious Hours: Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas Reimagined.
We invite you to join Qwire as we reinterpret Henry Purcell’s 1689 opera, Dido & Aeneas, and explore themes of Queer love, loss and heartache with music that transcends generations.
Joined by four soloists and a chamber ensemble, led by the exceptional Ellery Quartet, Qwire will perform the opera in its entirety, returning to the stage after intermission to offer a musical response to Dido & Aeneas with contemporary repertoire.
Canberra Qwire (proudly LGBTQIA+) has been part of the Canberra community for over 30 years. Qwire has over 120 members from the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities as well as our allies. Qwire members cover all ages drawn together by their common love of music and singing.
Creatives
Callum Tolhurst-Close - Conductor
Hugo Temby - Accompanist
Ellery String Quartet
Lizzy Collier - Double Bass
Jack Holmes - Percussion
Soloists
Oscar Balle-Bowness as Dido
Andrew Barrow as Aeneas
Rachel Mink as Belinda
Alasdair Stretch as The Sorcerer