Global politics collided with human passion in Samling Academy Opera’s 2025 production of Dido and Aeneas, with Claudio Monteverdi’s Balletto de la bellezza le dovute lodi as a prelude, setting the scene for Dido’s royal court. This production was our second collaboration with John Butt and Dunedin Consort and was the first live opera to be performed The Fire Station in Sunderland.
This was our first opera to be staged with a cast consisting entirely of current and recent Samling Academy Singers.
Dido, Queen of Carthage: Tia Radix-Callixte
Aeneas, Prince of Troy: Max Robbins
Belinda: Arielle Loewinger
First Lady: Laura Postlethwaite
Sorceress: Davina Halford-Macleod
Witches: Anna Forbes, Margretta Ibrahim, Megan Moffitt
Spirit: Matilda Hayward
Sailor: Ben Ryan
Chorus: Samuel Davie, Jeannot Gantier-Houston, Madeleine Hague, Ava Newby, Imogen Payne, Olivia Rose, Sam Ryan, Isabella Shea
Director: Samling Artist Miranda Wright
Choreographer: Mandy Demetriou
Lighting Director: Alex Edwards
Stage Manager: Liz Roberts
Dunedin Consort
Director/Harpsichord John Butt
Violins Adrian Butterfield (leader), Sarah Bevan Baker
Viola Fran Gilbert
Cello Lucia Capellaro
Violone Hannah Turnbull
Theorbo Toby Carr
Performed 17 and 19 July 2025, at The Fire Station, Sunderland
Header image: Tia Radix-Callixte as Dido. All photos (c) Mark Pinder Photography
