Dido, Queen of Carthage
Dido, Queen of Carthage is a short play by Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)[1], with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe (1567-1601)[2].
Contents
The original text
The play was seemingly first performed by the Children of the Chapel sometime between 1587 and 1593. It was first published as The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage in 1594.
Translations and adaptations
The 18th-century English composer Stephen Storace wrote an opera titled Dido, Queen of Carthage (1794), but the only surviving text was lost in a fire in 1801.
What appears to have been a musical version of Dido, Queen of Carthage, listed as a "Grand Musical, Classical and Picturesque Extravaganza in One Act"attributed to "Burnand" was performed in Cape Town in the 1860-1861. It was most probably a performance of the "New and Original Extravaganza" called Dido, the Celebrated Widow by Francis Cowley Burnand. First performed . Published by T.H. Lacy in 1865.
Performance history in South Africa
1860: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 25 November, with The Irish Tutor (Butler) and a musical interlude by the brass orchestra of the 59th Regiment. Announced as a "Grand Musical, Classical and Picturesque Extravaganza in One Act" by "Durnand".
1860: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 3 December with Who Do You Take Me For? (Morton.
1860: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 17 and 20 December with The Little Treasure and The Hundred Pound Note (Peake). The first performance was done as a benefit for Mrs Delmaine.
1860: Performed again, by special request, in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 27 December with The Happy Man (Lover).
1861: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 10 January with Fra Diavolo, or The Beauty and the Brigands and A Night at Notting Hill (Yates and Harrington).
1861: Performed as part of "grand gala night" in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Royal Alfred Dramatic Club on 23 February, with The Irish Tutor (Butler).
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dido,_Queen_of_Carthage_(play)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Marlowe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Nashe
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page