The Aeneid Series World Premiere

WE DID IT!

After fifteen years of composing, a year and a half of planning, and three weeks of hard-core practicing and coordinating schedule, we pulled off the world premiere of The Aeneid Series.

My dear Dido Diva, Hannah Dixon McConnell, who performed The Dido Series with me fourteen years ago at St. Olaf College during their National Classics Convention, came back to play the role of Dido. In a crazy sequence of coincidences, we were back together again at St. Olaf College, performing in the middle of the National Classics Convention, and seeing the same professors who cheered us on years ago,

Christian Sanders came on board to perform the role of Aeneas alongside Hannah and myself, with a mere three weeks of preparing. The blessing of performing with professionals is that we were able to meet the night before the performance and rehearse, easily coordinating logistics within a couple hours' time.

The performance was a smashing hit, and everyone did a phenomenal job. I'm attaching the videos of the performance, as well as the program and bios of Hannah and Christian for you to enjoy.

After the amazing high of a fantastic performance and living out my dream of completing this song series, I'm now hungry for more performing. I'm also planning to work on a formal recording of the series for release in the near future. More on that later.

For now, I present to you, The Aeneid Series:

Part 1:

Part 2:

THE AENEID SERIES

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Eta Sigma Phi National Convention, St. Olaf College

Catherine Larsen Bryan, composer, piano

Hannah Dixon McConnell, soprano

Christian Sanders, tenor

1. Infandum regina

Book II: Lines 3-13 / 707-711 / 725-729 / 795-804

Aeneas sorrowfully shares the fall of Troy to Dido.

2. Anna soror

Book IV: Lines 9-19

Aeneas’ story sends Dido into a sleepless night; she’s in love.