Dido's Lament (When I am Laid) film inspired by Coldplay | Helen Charlston - Remember me - Purcell

With credit to Jamie Thraves, the Director behind the Coldplay video for 'The Scientist'.

In our latest digital adventure, we play with expectations of genre in this remake of Coldplay's hit music video 'The Scientist', with Purcell’s tragic ‘When I am Laid’ from Dido and Aeneas. The result is a modern-day drama, recorded around London.

Watch the original Coldplay video here:

Featuring OAE’s Rising Stars alumnus, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, our film is the second in a series of visually captivating remakes of iconic pop videos with baroque arias, to celebrate the enduring power of music, whatever the age.
Watch the first of our music video remake series featuring Baritone James Newby singing Handel's Cara Pianta, inspired by Radiohead here:

If music is good, it’s good regardless of its genre. Love Coldplay. Love Purcell. Love Music.

This film is sponsored by Mark Allen Group, Gramophone.
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To find out more about this project please join us for a Zoom Webinar Thu 11 Mar 2021 | 6pm with Helen Charlston and James Newby. Helen and James will be joining us to talk about their experience as Rising Stars of the OAE, their careers so far, and taking us behind the scenes of this music video project. RSVP via the following link - we'd love to see you there!' with a link here:

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With thanks to the OAE musicians

Violin I
Matthew Truscott

Violin II
Margaret Faultless

Viola
Annette Isserlis

Cello
Sarah McMahon

Double Bass
Liz Bradley

Oboe
Katharina Spreckelsen
Sarah Humphreys

Bassoon
Györgyi Farkas

Harpsichord
Steven Devine

Keyboard
Keith McGowan

Digital and Technical Director
Zen Grisdale

Engineer
Dave Hinitt

[electricden]

Beautiful. Truly gets to the heart of this interpretation as a cry of despair from all the too many lonely lost souls in our populated cities in their final forgotten and hidden moments alone before, just like Queen Dido of Carthage here consigning herself to dying in flames as love has left her, and she has no reason to continue.

[patmcdermott]

A lovely performance of Purcell's superb aria sung with real clarity, emotion &a beautiful tone by Helen! Such a wonderful young mezzo voice, Helen.

[flisscook]

A clever bit of production here. Quite shocking and journeying into the imaginal core of madness... brilliantly done. 💔

[victoryosvanyabreucarales]

This is so beautiful and overwhelming at the same

[robinavalyn]

This is wonderous! A fantastic modern visual blend.

But that voice!!!!

So glad I found this. Thank you.

[robinavalyn]

Ive been away too long... & there are many I send this to. Sigh... my soul & heart rise...

[jamesmather]

I've heard a dozen singers perform this aria. This is very beautifully sung, with a fresh tone.

[robinavalyn]

And again! That voice!
I keep coming back to this video...

[TheMarkEH]

Fabulous performance + fabulous video = fabulous squared entertainment. Thank you.

[ShaneDiffily]

Strange this has so few views? It is such a beautiful rendition.

[Gedagnors]

Gorgeous! I don't know how people can live without tears after this music. So sad...

[joetoetjube]

The video like coldplay's (based on irreversible) but the music is much better!!! I need more of this!!!

[ianjenkins]

absolutely brilliant! I am overwhelmed

[NY]

Thank you Helen. May I use this for All Saints Sunday at St. John’s. Best ever!

[drummerboy]

What a fantastically brilliant conception and beautifully sung by Helen, what a voice.

[avivaviolin]

Gorgeous, I'm in love with OAE ever since that one time during my studies in London when I saw you guys perform in a pub, brilliant video! Love from Chicago <3

[BennLuvsYou]

I was literally listening to Dido’s “The day before the day” when I saw an article about this and thought it was the same Dido but also pleasantly surprised by this beautiful operatic composition.

[junedarling]

I’ve just been watching Helen in a live streamed concert, and couldn’t resist this as a reprise. I love the video!

[swiftlymurmurs]

Oh shit, great job everyone! That backwards lip-syncing is no easy feat, and you really stayed true to the spirit of the Coldplay video

[qjv]

No words to describe how overwhelming beatiful this is 😌❤️