18 May 2026
Meet star mezzo-soprano Karima El Demerdasch as she makes her MCO debut performing Purcell's Dido & Aeneas at London's Cutty Sark.
What excites you most about performing Dido & Aeneas in such a unique setting, beneath the hull of Cutty Sark?
It’s incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to perform at this historic venue, not only because it’s such an iconic English landmark, but also because it’s not a place people would normally associate with opera, which I think will make this an especially interesting experience.
In a way, performing Dido & Aeneas beneath the hull of a ship brings an almost eerie sense of realism to the piece, because it feels as though the reality of Aeneas’s departure and the inevitability of Dido’s fate are literally looming over us throughout the performance. This is definitely one of my favourite operas, and I know it will be very special to perform this beautiful music in such a unique setting.
How do you prepare for a role like Dido?
Dido is an interesting role to prepare for because we’re dealing with an opera that is incomplete, with parts of it lost. This means we aren’t given very much information about her character or background, so while my preparation does involve some background reading, a large part of it is also filling in the blanks. The best way to do that is to delve more deeply into the music and find emotional motivations for the musical choices that are made. I think it’s very important to experiment and find nuance in the portrayal of her character in order to make her more multi-dimensional.
On a technical note, this role requires very good breath control and vocal flexibility and stamina, even though it is such a short opera, so a lot of work has gone into this as well.
What do you find exciting about working with the Monteverdi Choir?
I am absolutely thrilled to get to sing one of my favourite roles with such an incredible choir and amazing group of musicians. When I moved to London a couple of years back, I was always hearing the name, and to sing my first big role as a young professional with them is a huge honour.
If you weren't a mezzo-soprano, what would you do – musical or otherwise?
I studied both film and music performance for my undergraduate degree, so I think I would go into acting or filmmaking. I’m very passionate about cinema and would like to believe that one day I might get to work on a project that combines both opera and film. I am excited that the Cutty Sark performances are being filmed, hopefully they will be the first of many!
How do you prepare yourself and your voice before performances?
Getting enough sleep is very important, and I usually try not to set an alarm on performance days if my time allows me to sleep in. I go to the gym for a light strength workout and some cardio, then I have a big healthy meal, shower and get ready! I try to stay away from my phone as much as possible as this helps me focus better, and I get to the venue a bit earlier so I don’t have to rush. It’s also important to trust that all the work has been done on the days leading up to the performance and to actually allow yourself to enjoy it!
Who were your earliest musical influences?
My completely honest answer is Lady Gaga! I was really into pop, jazz and rock music when I was a bit younger, and I would say this really influenced who I am as a singer. When I later got into opera, some of my influences were Elina Garanča, Anne Sofie von Otter, Brigitte Fassbaender and Frederica von Stade.
