h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've just finished a short run in Dido and Aeneas, and the chorus is seriously over-worked. We spent the whole time either on the stage or changing at lightning speed in the wing with seconds to spare before entering again. The dances were all cut (though the music was retained) to give us all time to get off and on again.

'Twas good fun, though, with a couple of great 'sings' for the chorus at the end. The number of times the word 'cupid' crops up is quite astonishing.

You have to wonder - do big opera houses use two choruses? Or do the chorus normally not have costume changes?

David

I've just saw Dido & Aeneas in Newcastle's Theatre Royal. Not a big theatre by any standards. It seemed the orchestra pit was as big as the actual stage. Anyway - there were 2 choirs. The second orchestra was at the back of the stage, hidden behind a screen (which was lifted lateron) and the other choir was at the back of the orchestra pit. It gave a marvellous sense of 'echo', close and far.
We thoroughly enjoyed it, apart from the first half of the program which had Stravinsky's Les Noces - which gives as big a clash of styles as you can get. Had I heard it on the radio, I would have switched it off. Now we just had to grin and bear.

I've just saw Dido & Aeneas in Newcastle's Theatre Royal. Not a big theatre by any standards. It seemed the orchestra pit was as big as the actual stage. Anyway - there were 2 choirs. One choir was at the back of the stage, hidden behind a screen (which was lifted lateron) and the other choir was at the back of the orchestra pit. It gave a marvellous sense of 'echo', close and far.
We thoroughly enjoyed it, apart from the first half of the program which had Stravinsky's Les Noces - which gives as big a clash of styles as you can get. Had I heard it on the radio, I would have switched it off. Now we just had to grin and bear.