Karen Frankenstein & Elizabeth Batton. Photo by Daniel James Cole.

"Dido and Aeneas," Henry Purcell's Baroque jewel of an opera, was given recently by the New York Chamber Opera, a performance subsidiary of La Gran Scena Opera, at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, at Symphony Space, and a gem of a presentation it was, as guided by Lucy Arner, conducting from the keyboard, and Ira Siff, responsible for stage direction. The singers were excellent young professionals, associated with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, and regional companies. The second of three performances, on January 22, is discussed here.

This "Dido," pertinently and unobtrusively updated to the present, was introduced by a spoken prologue, drawn from Virgil's "Aeneid" ; and delivered by Sarah Miller, explaining that Dido and Carthage, her realm, "were seduced" by Aeneas, who soon "exhaust[ed] all of our resources." Throne room here became an office, with Dido, the Queen, the C.E.O., sung by Elizabeth Batton in a full, round mezzo-soprano. Belinda, fresh-voiced soprano Karen Frankenstein, was her Executive Assistant. Batton's Dido wore a blue sash and baritone Richard Byrne, singing lyrically as an oily, smirking Aeneas, wore a red one and ingratiated himself by distributing red boutonnieres to her staff. Dido was herself, shortly, garbed all in red.

Siff cross-dressed the supernatural characters, as befits the founder and, in an alter ego, diva of the travesti Gran Scena, though men—dancer Mark Morris (Dido) and countertenor Dominique Visse (Sorceress), for example--have interpreted the women's roles in other productions in recent memory as well. Manipulating the plot and clearly hailing from the same red state as Aeneas, this louche coven was led by the Sorceress of gutsy contralto Dulce Manzini, a cigar-puffing fat cat in a cowboy hat, loud vest, and camouflage pants. The witches, the minions at her beck and call, were countertenors Kyle Church Cheseborough and Terence Wood, playing a pair of Stepford Wife-style, truly traditional ladies of the Right. The Sorceress controlled the thunder machine and the witches simulated rain sounds for the storm from which the protagonists took refuge. Later, trashing Dido's headquarters, the Sorceress took particular delight in stomping on a globe, which stood on Dido's desk, now overturned and draped, ominously, with the blue sash. She also provided Aeneas with a bag containing the "Monster's head," which he brought back from the hunt, dangling from the end of his rifle—one can only imagine which dictator's head the sack was supposed to have contained—and brought him the message from "the angry gods" to desert Dido and "seek Italian ground."

All that said, Siff's concept did not weigh heavily upon Purcell's delicate opus, which was led by Maestra Arner with care and feeling and ended, as any traditional "Dido" would, with a most moving farewell, " When I am laid in earth," thanks to Batton. The remainder of the ensemble consisted of singers Melanie Melcher, Karen Feder, David Jackson (a swaggering sailor) and Liam Bonner and instrumentalists Miranda Cuckson, Song-A Cho, Nadia Sirota, Clarice Jensen, Lucy Cross (on theorbo, large relative of the lute) and Liora Maurer. Wilson Chin designed the set, Daniel James Cole, the costumes, and Matt Berman, the lighting.

Look for Siff and Arner's outing, as Mme Vera Galupe-Borszkh and Maestro Sergio Zawa, in recital at the same theater on May 11, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m.

Symphony Space, 95^th Street & Broadway

January 20, 22 & 24 Tickets $28