Dido & Aeneas In Concert
an opera in three acts by Henry Purcell
set to a libretto by Nahum Tate
This concert performance is presented by the young artists of Opera Caledonia’s Performance Project 2026
Cast
Dido • Tea Ban
Aeneas • James McIntyre*
Belinda • Lingli Zhou
Second Woman • Audrey Franssen Keenan
Sorceress • Mairi Eilidh McGillvray
First Witch • Iustina Chirila
Second Witch • Holly Gowen
Spirit • Naomi Fester
Sailor • Zachary Smith
*Guest Artist
The Chorus of Dido & Aeneas
Hannah Leggatt • Lara Keen • Megan Gürer • Mandy Rose Campbell • Zachary Smith • Oluwatimilehin Bimbo-Adeola
Music Department
Derek Clark • Conductor/Harpsichord
Emily Singh • Assistant Conductor
Creative Team
Tetiana Hnatiuk • Director
Almut Echtler • Costume Designer
Leo Thomson • Costume Assistant/Cutter
• • •
Act One
Queen Dido of Carthage admits her secret love for the visiting Trojan prince, Aeneas. Dido fears that love will make her vulnerable. Belinda, Dido’s attendant, encourages the match and Aeneas proposes. Court rejoices as the lovers depart for a hunt.
Act Two
The Sorceress and her coven gather to plot the destruction of Queen Dido. Driven by pure malice, she plans to ruin Dido’s happiness, conjuring a storm to separate the lovers and sending a spirit disguised as Mercury to deceive Aeneas into abandoning her.
Dido & Aeneas’s hunting party is interrupted by the Sorceress’ storm. All, except Aeneas, return to the palace. The evil spirit, disguised as Mercury, approaches the isolated Aeneas. The spirit commands Aeneas to abandon Dido and immediately sail to Italy. Believing this to be a divine mandate, a heartbroken Aeneas consents to his destiny.
Act Three
Aeneas’s sailors prepare to leave Carthage, delighting the Sorceress and her coven. Aeneas tells Dido that he must depart. Aeneas offers to stay and defy the gods. Dido’s heartbreak compels her to order him away. Heartbroken, Dido meets her fate.
• • •
This production is sung in English with English surtitles. Filming and photography is not permitted. Please ensure your mobile phone is switched off.
Tea Ban is a Croatian mezzo-soprano whose artistic path is marked by determination, musical curiosity, and a distinctive vocal presence. Her remarkable artistic development has quickly earned her recognition in prestigious competitions and on the concert stage, establishing her as a promising young performer with a versatile repertoire spanning from Baroque to contemporary music.
Her early professional experience includes performances with the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka, where she appeared as a chorus member and in smaller roles before making her debut as Berta in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia in 2017. Since then, she has continued to expand her artistic profile through both operatic and concert performances. Her concert repertoire includes major sacred works such as Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. On the operatic stage, her roles include “A Lady with a Hat Box” in Postcard from Morocco by Dominick Argento, the “Second Lady” in Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, “L’amica” in Menotti’s Amelia al Ballo, and “Mystery” in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, among others.
Tea completed her bachelor’s degree at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where she studied with the renowned mezzo-soprano Marianne Beate Kielland. Currently pursuing her master’s degree, she continues to refine her craft and deepen her musical interpretation, building a career defined by artistic integrity, expressive depth, and a growing presence on the international stage.
Dumbarton born tenor James McIntyre is a recent graduate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he was the winner of the Elgar Spedding Lieder Prize and the Hugh S Roberton Prize for Scottish Singing. He is a 2025 Edinburgh International Festival Rising Star of Voice, which saw him feature as a soloist in the festival closing concert of Elijah with the RSNO. He is also a proud Live Music Now Scotland artist alongside guitar duo partner Ross Morris. James regularly works with Scottish Opera, and over the past year highlights include covering the role of Hokusai’s Grandson in the world premiere of Dai Fujikura’s The Great Wave, covering Torquemada in Ravel’s L’heure espagnole and performing as a chorus member for multiple productions. He also performs across the UK and last year toured in all three 2025 productions with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, The Merry Widow and Trial by Jury at Opera Holland Park in London, and made his role debut as Eisenstein in Fife Opera’s Die Fledermaus. Outside of music, he is an avid fan of watching figure skating, collecting stationery and journalling.
Lingli Zhou is a Chinese soprano currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Voice Performance at the Mannes School of Music in New York City.
Her operatic roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Sophie in Werther, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Despina in Così fan tutte, and Euridice in Orfeo ed Euridice.
In addition to opera, Lingli is an active choral and oratorio performer. She has sung with the Oratorio Society of New York, St. George’s Choral Society, and Cantantes In Cordibus. Her recent appearances include performing as a choral soloist in Fern Hill at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York.
Audrey Franssen Keenan is a soprano going into her third year at the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, in the studios of Stephanie Bogle and David Eliakis. Though her principal instrument is voice, her studies have also included piano and violin, and some dabbling in guitar and lap harp. She is an avid composer, and is currently studying under Dr Brian Current. Before graduating high school in 2024, she studied for three years at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists, where she received her ARCTs in Harmony and Counterpoint, Analysis, and Music History, and premiered her first musical, Ariadne, a retelling of the myth of Theseus. Audrey composes and performs music in a wide range of styles, and enjoys writing lyrics as well as setting poetic texts. When she is not busy with music, she likes to learn languages and read.
Mairi Eilidh McGillvray completed her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under the tutelage of Louise Crane, having previously gained a Bachelor of Music from University of Glasgow (one semester at State University of New York).
Whilst Mairi was based in the central belt of Scotland, she performed in projects with Paisley Opera, Glasgow University Opera Society, Scots Opera Project, Edinburgh Studio Opera, Glasgow Bach Cantata Project and Clyde Opera.
In November 2024 she performed the role of Tisbe from Rossini’s La Cenerentola in RBC Opera Scenes and in June 2025 performed the role of Aeneas in the RBC Summer Opera double-bill of Dido and Aeneas/Fête Galante. In November 2025, Mairi performed the role of Der Komponist in a scene from R. Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos and most recently performed role of L’Opinion Publique in RBC’s fully staged production of Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers.
Alongside her duo partner Alex Wyatt, Mairi and Alex were each awarded first place in the vocal and accompanist prizes of the Edward Brookes Lieder Prize in January.
Mairi also works as an artist for Birmingham Opera Company and performed in their fully staged performances of Michael Tippett’s New Year in July 2024, accompanied by the CBSO. In March 2025 she worked with BOC on their Opera Lab project as a chorus mentor on Judith Weir’s woman.life.song. Mairi has also recently featured as a soloist for Buckingham Choral Society, Malvern Festival Chorus, The Phoenix Singers, Pershore Choral Society and Redditch Choral Society.
Iustina Chirila is a 20 year old soprano from Cardiff. She is currently in her second year at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying with Gail Pearson. Iustina is a bursary holder at the BBC National Chorus of Wales, and has been a step out soloist for them. She is also a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales. Iustina is also very interested in recording receiving scholarships and has worked for Rockfield Studios and Ty Cerdd on various projects involving WNO and BBC NOW. She has also surtitled the David Seligman Opera School’s production of Don Giovanni.
Holly Gowen is an English mezzo-soprano who started her development under the tutelage of tenor James Oxley. After being head chorister at Rugby School, she was invited to join the Rodolfus Foundation, for whom she has performed and recorded for since 2018. During her undergraduate degree in Edinburgh, Holly was the alto scholar at Old Saint Paul’s Episcopal under John Kitchen, and part of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus’ Young Singers Programme. In 2022, she was returning president for Edinburgh Studio Opera, for whom she coordinated and sung in their production of Die Fledermaus as Prince Orlofsky. Currently Holly receives training from Susan Young, and has recently performed in masterclasses with Anna Dennis, lain Burnside, and Roderick Williams. Additionally, she holds office on the committee of Society of Women Organists.
This academic year, Holly is part of Robert Hollingworth’s Solo Voice Ensemble Singing masters course at the University of York, a Junior Lay Clerk at Newcastle Cathedral, and holds a scholarship with the Yorkshire Bach Choir. In September she will continue her studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Naomi Fester is a mezzo-soprano studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Wilma MacDougall. She was brought up in beautiful North Yorkshire, where she won Musician of the Year at the Eskdale Festival of the Arts, and developed her love for music, drama and the stage. She was a choral scholar at Selwyn College Cambridge, where she gained a wealth of recital experience. Since joining the RCS, Naomi has continued this exciting recital work, but is also enjoying a number of operatic engagements. She recently sang the title role of Handel’s Solomon with Oban Bach Society, and was awarded a place in the final of the RCS Governor’s Prize. Naomi is also hugely excited to attend the Da Ponte Academy in August, as well as covering the role of Cherubino in the Da Ponte Festival this summer.
Naomi is very excited to be part of Opera Caledonia’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’. She is also gratefully supported in her studies by the RCS Trust, and by the Tillett and Colin Keer Trusts.
Zachary Smith is a tenor from Halifax, West Yorkshire. He recently graduated with a postgraduate degree in Vocal Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, under the tutelage of Professor Stephen Robertson. Zach spent his Sixth Form years at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and went on to study for his undergraduate degree in music at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he was a Choral Scholar in the chapel choir. Later this summer, Zach will be a member of the Opera Studio of the Lyrique-en-Mer Festival in France. Operatic roles include: L’Arithmétique and La Rainette L’enfant et les sortilèges (RSNO). Oronte Alcina and Laurie Little Women (Trentino Music Festival). Trio Trouble in Tahiti (Raven Opera).
Hannah Leggatt-McPhee trained Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she gained a Masters with Distinction studying with Sophie Grimmer. Hannah completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh where she studied with Irene Drummond. In 2020, Hannah was a member of the Dunedin Consort’s “Bridging the Gap” scheme performing as part of their 2020-2021 cohort. Operatically, recent roles include Madame Larina (Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky), Ariane (Ariane et Barbe Bleu, Dukas), Schwertleite (Die Walküre, Wagner), Charlotte (Werther, Massenet), Mistress Quickly (Falstaff, Verdi) and Zita (Gianni Schicchi, Puccini) – all Trinity Laban Opera Scenes, Carmen – cover (Carmen, Bizet – Kent Chamber Opera) and Pacquette (‘Candide’, Bernstein – Blackheath Halls Opera), Chorus (Cavelleria Rusticana, Mascagni and Pagliacci, Leoncavallo – West Green House Opera) and, Ino (‘Semele’, Handel) – Blackheath Halls Opera. Since being back in Scotland, Hannah has been performing regularly with local groups and festivals.
Lara Keen is a 23 year-old soprano from Devon, England, currently training under Catherine Hamilton. Having performed with the Edinburgh Studio Opera throughout her studies, appearing in roles such as Iris in Handel’s Semele (2024) and in the titular role of Massanet’s Cendrillon (2025), she is delighted to be returning to Scotland, where her love for opera flourished, for a new project.
Megan Gürer is very excited to perform the role of 2nd Witch in Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas through the Opera Caledonia Performance Project. Her passion for story-telling and fostering connection through music is at the forefront of all her artistic endeavors.
Megan’s recent operatic engagements include Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Bach-Millenium Music, Santa Clara, 2025) and dritte Magd in Richard Strauss’s Elektra (Dramatic Voices Program Berlin, 2024). Other notable performances include her senior voice recital showcasing works by Henry Purcell, Barbara Strozzi, Gustav Mahler and Georges Bizet (fall 2024) and alto soloist in The Chambered Nautilus by Amy Beach with the UC Davis Chamber singers (2023).
An award-winning vocalist, Megan received 1st place in the American International Music Competition (Cleveland) and the Virtuoso International Music Awards UK. She also received 2nd place in the Charleston International Music Competition. Megan is a current Master’s student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and studies voice with Milena Georgieva-Bach. She received her Bachelor’s degree in voice performance and composition from the University of California, Davis. She is a recipient of the Vincent Constantino Scholarship and the Steinberg Scholarship through the San Francisco Conservatory, and recipient of the UC Davis Music Department Faculty Award. Outside of music, she enjoys cooking and baking and spending time in nature with her family and friends.
A contralto originally from Texas, Mandy Rose Campbell earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition with an Emphasis in Viola from Baylor University. Her classical career began predominantly as a professional string player, where she performed in the Mid-Texas Symphony, Baylor Symphony, the Symphony of the Hills, the Fredericksburg Theatre Company, Point Theatre, and for various string quartets.
During this time she became an award-winning and accomplished vocalist as a singer-songwriter. A three-time state finalist for the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship, she won the Summer Sounds Contest, recorded several albums, made it to the golden ticket round of American Idol, and performed in various festivals across the states. After moving to Scotland in 2024, Mandy Rose began vocal lessons with Judith Howarth and performed as a contralto in Tayside Opera’s 2025 Nabucco production. She then performed in the chorus for The Mahler Player’s 2026 Parsifal production in Inverness, under the direction of Tomas Leakey and headlined by Sir John Tomlinson.
Recently, she was commissioned by Illuminate Women’s Music to compose a piece for their Illuminate Concert Series, which was premiered in Dundee in 2025. This year, she was a two-time semifinalist for the UK Songwriting Contest and performed twice in the Nowruz Aberdeen Festival.
Mandy Rose is currently completing an MMus in Music Composition and Vocal Performance from the University of Aberdeen, where she will compose and premiere two original contralto pieces. She has also begun writing and composing an opera in Scottish Gaelic.
Derek Clark was born in Glasgow and is an Honours graduate of the RSAMD and the University of Durham. He studied at the London Opera Centre before joining Welsh National Opera as a répétiteur in 1977, making his professional conducting debut in 1981 with Handel’s Tamerlano.
He was Head of Music at Scottish Opera from 1997 to 2023 and conducted more than 30 operas for the company, including major works by Handel and Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Puccini, and Gilbert & Sullivan.
He provided re-orchestrations for their touring productions of Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Rodelinda and The Elixir of Love and devised many Opera Highlight/Essential Scottish Opera programmes.
He also specialised in contemporary music, as conductor of all three seasons of Scottish Opera’s highly successful Five:15 project, the Scottish premieres of James MacMillan’s Clemency, Philip Glass’ The Trial and the world premieres of Craig Armstrong’s The Lady from the Sea and Rory Boyle’s award-winning opera Kaspar Hauser: Child of Europe.
He continues to work as an accompanist, and as a Guest Coach and examiner at the major conservatoires and at the National Opera Studio. Though most of his professional life has been spent in the opera house, he has also found time to compose and arrange music for a wide variety of people and circumstances – his music has been performed in venues ranging from village halls to Westminster Abbey.
He was appointed Musical Director of Dundee Choral Union in 2011, and since 2014 has been Director of Music at Helensburgh Parish Church, where his annual ‘Come and Sing’ Christmas concerts, and concerto performances, have raised many thousands of pounds for charities such as MacMillan Cancer Care and Christian Aid.
Emily Singh is a Scottish–Guyanese conductor working across opera, orchestral, and community settings. She has worked with Welsh National Opera, British Youth Opera and Armonico Consort, and in 2025 conducted the Welsh semi-staged premiere of Handel’s “La Resurrezione” for which she created a new performing edition with English translation. A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Emily is passionate about storytelling through music: she is drawn to projects that bring performers and audiences into a shared dramatic and emotional experience, connecting deeply with the humanity at the heart of every work. She is delighted to join Opera Caledonia’s production of “Dido & Aeneas” as Assistant Conductor.
Tetiana Hnatiuk is an opera director currently pursuing an MA in Opera Directing at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (Cardiff, UK). During her studies, she has assisted on productions including Orpheus in the Underworld, Spring Opera Scenes, and Alcina, and is participating in the JPAP Observership Program at the Royal Ballet and Opera.
Previously, she completed the Development Department Trainee Program at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, gaining insight into the operations of one of the world’s leading opera institutions.
Tetiana has worked as an Assistant Director with organisations including the Barbican Theatre (London), Kyiv Opera Theatre, the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Tango Theatre UA, and Modern Opera Theatre in Kyiv. She has also served as a Choral Conductor at Blackheath Conservatoire in London, was a Hesse Student at the Aldeburgh Festival, and worked as Creative Director of the Confucius Music Center at the National Music Academy of Ukraine.
Her directing credits include Pagliacci, the children’s opera Ivasyk-Telesyk, the experimental pop-up opera Piano Lesson, and numerous theatrical concerts. Her work is characterised by original interpretations of classical opera alongside a dedication to developing contemporary and accessible operatic experiences for diverse audiences.
Upcoming Events
An Evening in Vienna
28th November 2026
Support Us
Opera Caledonia projects are made possible thanks to the generous support of our supporters. There are many exclusive benefits to enjoy through supporting us. With your support, Opera Caledonia will continue to thrive. Find more information here.