A common University Chorus concert goes a little something like this: Everyone is dressed in snappy clothes-stock navy dresses for the women, clean white shirt and slacks for the men. The singers stand poised on the risers with their backs straight and their arms all holding their binders at right angles to their bodies. However, this particular production of Dido and Aeneas was slightly different. There was a screen above the heads of the performers showing small film clips with special effects while a string quintet consisting of instruments that date back to the Renaissance era played the music of English composer Henry Purcell. The performance was an interesting combination of modern and classical elements.The opera is based on the epic poem The Aeneid by Virgil. According to the story, Dido is the grief-stricken queen of the land of Carthage. Her assistant, Belinda, suggests that a possible solution to her sadness would be to marry the Trojan prince Aeneas, who Belinda believes is the source of Dido's sorrow. At first, Dido isn't open to the idea, but when she sees Aeneas, she is struck by his good looks and charm and agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, witches plot the destruction of both Dido and Carthage and try to separate Aeneas from her. They cunningly make Aeneas believe that Jove, also known as Zeus, is forcing him to leave. Aeneas believes the fake order and tells Dido that he must depart. This devastates Dido, and after she angrily orders him to leave, she dies of a broken heart. The opera ends with cupids putting roses on Dido's chest as she lies in her tomb.

The opera was written in the 17th century, but the University Chorus put a new spin on it. Prof. Jason McStoots (MUS), the production's stage director, staged Dido not as a queen but as a high-powered businesswoman and Aeneas not as a Trojan prince but as a Navy soldier. Though the students who played the main roles were not trained actors, they did a decent job. After all, the focus was on their voices, which were marvelous. Mariah Henderson '12 has a warmth and richness to her timbre that gave a certain melancholic depth to the sorrow-stricken Dido. It was pretty but not light, a great quality to have in a second soprano voice. The other actors in primary roles were also quite fine singers, and the background chorus supported the main performers without overshadowing them. The musical technique was masterful, and the technical aspects of the show went off without a hitch.

The chorus practiced for weeks to prepare for the show. For the last week before the performance, the members put in many extra hours of rehearsal in order to fine-tune the minutiae of the concert. And due to the hard work of the choir, Musical Director Prof. James Oleson (MUS) and McStoots, the modern take on Dido and Aeneas came to life. The choir proved that classic can meet modern in a subtle yet effective way without taking away from either interpretation of the piece.