Name: Dido and Aeneas
Start: 2026-05-14T19:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-17T15:00:00-04:00
Location: Bethel Methodist Columbia

Midlands Light Opera sails to ancient Carthage for Purcell and Tate’s beloved opera Dido and Aeneas May 14 -17, 2026. Performances will be Thursday and Friday (5/14 and 5/15) evening at 7:30, and Saturday and Sunday (5/16 and 5/17) at 3:00 in the Pool Building of Bethel UMC (4600 Daniel Drive, Columbia).
Queen Dido (Christine Powell-Thomas) fled Tyre after her husband’s murder, and has established a kingdom in Carthage. Despite the urging of her handmaidens Belinda (Maria Beery) and Second Woman (Paula Morris, Janice Mabrey), she has chosen not to accept suitors. Aeneas (Roddey Smith), fled Troy after it fell to the Spartans, and he is following his destiny of establishing a new home for his Trojan followers in Italy. When he and his son Ascanius (Lina Cordova) make a pit stop in Carthage to rest and recover from their journey, the two monarchs fall in love.
Dido’s happiness has angered the wicked Sorcerer (Ben Palmer) and witches (Belle Posso and Bella Strehl), who plan to break up the happy couple through a plot involving the spirit of Mercury (Sabrina Palmer, also singing the Sailor). Can love survive the pull of fate and the machinations of a trio of evil witches?
Rounding out are cast are dancers and onstage chorus (Bethany Cely, Lilith Clary, Janice Mabrey, Patrick Pilat, Dianne Palmer-Quay) and offstage chorus (Chavous Camp, Will Cordova, Evelyn Clary, Douglas Deaderick, Robin Dorfer, Alex Mabrey, Sara Martinez, Duna Miller, Kevin Oliver).
The production is directed and produced by Evelyn Clary, musically directed by Grant Hamby, accompanied by Josh Evanovich and Lucinda Shields, and costumed by Rob Richards, who is also serving as propsmaster. There will also be a string quartet.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. In order to encourage young people to gain exposure to opera, for our Thursday, 5/14 performance, student tickets will be pay what you can. Those wishing to lend further support may purchase friend ($25) and super friend ($50) tickets. Tickets are available online at MidlandsLightOperaSociety.org and can also be purchased at the door. Doors open thirty minutes before curtain.
Midlands Light Opera Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization existing to provide an opportunity to our community members of all ages and experience levels to perform light opera and opportunities for our community members to see family friendly live opera.