Joyce DiDonato has made a mark in the opera industry as a singer, advocate, and mentor, among many other endeavors the mezzo-soprano has done over the years. But she has also made a mark on the recording industry.

Ever since, she has been recording with Warner and Erato, DiDonato has been on a mission to discover works in the modern, baroque, and Bel Canto repertoire. She has also recorded the standard repertoire and has now left a legacy of recordings that audiences will get to listen for years to come.

This year, she added another landmark recording to her legacy with “Dido and Aeneas” alongside Michael Spyres.

OperaWire had a chance to speak with the mezzo about her recording history, “Dido and Aeneas,” and the experience of exploring this character.

OperaWire: Tell me about your experience making this new album and how it differs from the other recordings you have made.

Joyce DiDonato: This was a truly inspired experience as the entire cast, chorus, and orchestra all felt deeply inspired to bring this to life. Maxim led from the Harpsichord in a deeply impassioned way, so that from the first note of the overture, we all knew the bar would be extremely high. The special quality of this recording is that it was captured, essentially, live from the Essen Philharmonic, so I feel the immediacy and the theatricality of it is in vibrant form, because we could feel the audience with us through every phrase.

OW: You have recorded several albums with Il Pomo d’Oro. How has that relationship developed over the years?

JD: There exists a tremendous amount of trust and deep knowing that can only come with years of collaboration. For example, the incredible continuo group knows my phrasing and level of engagement so deeply that we now rarely need to talk about any musical issues. They are incredibly responsive to where I want to take the phrasing, that I can simply do it, and I know they will be with me. The other joy is that Maxim is a conductor that LIVES completely in the moment, so there is a sense of improvisation and creating in the moment – which is absolutely my style and desire from a stage partner. So this project felt supremely free and alive in a profound way.

OW: Why was it the right time to do “Dido and Aeneas” and what does the piece mean to you?

JD: Well, there are a lot of schedules involved that need to align for it to be the right moment, so I’ve learned to make the most of these moments when they occur – and to make them right! But Purcell’s opera means a tremendous amount to anyone who loves opera. For me, it’s a role I felt I would always sing in particularly after having inhabited Berlioz’s Didon. What stunned me about singing this Queen in these two extremely different operas in this order (which could be considered backwards), is that in Purcell’s version, I sing – maybe 13 mins of music? Of course, Didon dominates three acts of Berlioz’s massive work, and yet, every single emotion that Berlioz develops to great detail also exists in Purcell’s Dido. I’m very glad I had the extensive exploration through Berlioz under my belt before singing Dido, because I knew every crevice of this character and could convey that through the absolute minimum of text and music.

OW: You toured “Dido and Aeneas” in 2024. What memories do you have of that?

JD: Having this recording as an incredible souvenir of the tour is a great gift. From the first rehearsal, it was clear we had something special. And because this was in concert, I sat on stage through the entire concert and was amazed at the beauty, the camp, the tenderness and the deep sorrow that emerged all around me. Of course, I loved singing this role, but I also treasured having the best seat in the house to hear the orchestra, chorus, and wonderful cast bring this all to life.

OW: In this recording, you work with Michael Spyres. You have also worked extensively with him. How was this experience different for the two of you? How did your collaboration differ from the other times? 

JD: Michael’s schedule didn’t allow him to join the tour – we had a fabulous Aeneas in Andy Staples for the concerts – but he joined us in Essen to record it directly. So it was quick – but having performed “Les Troyens” together for another recording, it was almost as if we had never left the roles. Michael is the kind of colleague where nothing needs to be discussed – he gives all through his voice and generously receives all I offer. We are simply responding in the moment and through the music. It’s a joy.

OW: You have an extensive recording catalog, something that is harder to do these days. Why do you believe these recordings are important?

JD: When I think of the privilege I have had to record over these last two plus decades, primarily with Warner/Erato, I am filled with immense gratitude. I have had the opportunity to document my musical legacy as a singer, but also to be a part of definitive interpretations, world premieres, unexpected curations, and alongside extraordinary colleagues. If I look back (something I rarely do), it does take my breath away that I have been able to be on both sides of this recording divide: the before and after times, essentially! But why are they important? I think they can be lifelines to many people. I think they can offer comfort and a sense of “knowing” for people. For the new works, Jake Heggie has always said that without a recording, there is a risk of them almost not existing.

OW: What other works are you excited to explore through recording?

JD: I’m currently helping edit my next recording – another World Premiere! – that has been an exhilarating project in every way: “Emily—No Prisoner Be.” Kevin Puts has written a mammoth new song cycle for myself and Time for Three (clearly my musical spirit animals!!!!) and we are having the time of our lives. I think it will have a huge impact on listeners and we simply can’t wait for the world to experience it. (January 30 is the launch date on Platoon!)