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For his role as the ancient Greek warrior Aeneas in the opera "Dido and Aeneas," Paul Minneman needs to get in touch with his inner Russell Crowe.

Turning himself into a gladiator, as Crowe did in the movie "Gladiator," will be a challenge for the tall, thin Kansas Wesleyan University senior, as he is quick to admit.

"I'm used to being more of myself on stage," he said. "This is a Trojan prince, a warrior, who knows what he wants and what I want I get. It's a lot different for me."

Minneman is used to playing comic roles in plays and musicals, and this is the first time he's ever been in an opera. But he said he welcomes the challenge.

"I've been trying to gain weight," he said.

"Dido and Aeneas" is this year's opera production of Wesleyan's fine arts department. For the first time, the opera is being done as part of a partnership with Salina Community Theatre. Operas previously were staged at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. Santa Fe.

J.R. Lidgett, SCT's technical director, is the set and lighting designer for this year's opera, with choreography by Peggy Simms and costumes by Sharon Benson, both of whom have worked on multiple productions at SCT.

"We couldn't do this without SCT's support," said Ken Hakoda, chair of the department of music at KWU and music director for the opera. "It's a smaller opera for a smaller venue. And they have an orchestra pit."

Story of a tragic love

"Dido and Aeneas" will be performed Oct. 28-30 at Salina Community Theatre, 303 E. Iron.

The opera, based on book four of the classic Greek poem "The Aeneid" by Virgil, tells the tragic story of Aeneas, a Trojan prince who falls in love with Dido, the Queen of Carthage. An evil sorceress doesn't approve of the romance and tricks Aeneas into leaving Carthage. Heartbroken at the loss of her love, Dido commits suicide.

"It's a very tragic tale," said Leslie Mangrum, vocal music instructor at KWU and director of the opera. "It's set in ancient Greece using traditional Greek elements. We use masks and baroque gestures and exaggerated movements, especially with fantastical characters."

The opera has a classic structure where each operatic scene is followed by a ballet number, Mangrum said.

"It's traditional to have a ballet with opera," she said. "Peggy is bringing dancers in between the singing scenes."

Descending melodies

"Dido and Aeneas," written in the 1680s by English composer Henry Purcell, is a famous baroque opera that Mangrum said consists of a simplified musical style of descending melodies and word painting in the lyrics.

"There's a lot more liberty in baroque opera to express text," Mangrum said. "With word painting, you let the music describe the text. If the text says 'wind,' then the notes sound like wind. If it's 'thunder,' then the music sounds like thunder."

Another aspect of baroque opera is the limitations of its instrumentation. The only instruments being used in this opera are strings, percussion and harpsichord, Hakoda said.

KWU students in the pit

In past operas, musicians from the Salina Symphony were included in the opera orchestra, said Hakoda, who is music director and conductor of the Salina Symphony.

"It's very much a KWU production," he said. "We have a decent orchestra at KWU now. There will be 16 people in the pit. It's a great educational opportunity for the students."

Brittany Ritter, a KWU senior who plays Dido, is a music education major who recently transferred from Colby Community College. She said playing Dido has been a valuable experience.

"It's a challenge because of my inexperience," she said. "I've been singing all my life, but acting is new to me. The challenge is opening up on stage."

Evil, but really sweet?

Fellow KWU music education major Sara Goetz, who plays the evil sorceress, is a veteran of several plays, musicals and operas. She said she always gets cast in the evil parts, which mystifies her.

"Everyone tells me I'm so sweet," Goetz said. "It's fun playing evil. I get to play something I'm not."

nReporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by email at gdemuth@salina.com.

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