For more than two decades, the DePaul Opera Theatre (DOT) program has achieved overwhelming success as a training ground for students seeking a future on the musical stage. Under the stewardship of director Harry Silverstein, DePaul Opera Theatre enables its members to realize the essential components of their craft—exposure and experience. For audiences who attend the troupe’s productions, DOT provides a preview of tomorrow’s opera artists. This season, DOT presents two major opera productions. The first is Henry Purcell’s 17th century tragedy “Dido and Aeneas.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 4 and Nov. 6 in the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave., in Chicago.

As the driving force behind the DePaul Opera Theatre program since its creation in 1987, Silverstein has chosen to present baroque and contemporary operatic works in alternate years for the DOT fall production. Operas from both periods, he finds, require minimal costumes and props, and they are perfect vehicles for younger and lighter voices, “leaving the success of the performance on the broad shoulders of the singers themselves.”

“Dido and Aeneas” allows the cast to present “a beautiful sad story with sublime music,” Silverstein said. The opera’s cast consists of eight principal singers and a small chorus, accompanied by nine string players and a harpsichordist. Julian Dawson, who has led the fall DOT performances in recent years, will conduct. The title roles of “Dido and Aeneas” will be sung by Janai Brugger and Rashard Deleston, respectively, who are both seniors at DePaul’s School of Music.

Although opera has a history of almost 400 years, Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” is one of the earliest works to remain in the standard repertory today. Arguably the greatest English opera until the 20th century, “Dido and Aeneas” is distinguished by its use of music to establish character and to underscore intense emotion.

It is not known when Purcell completed this masterwork—it is his only opera. It premiered at a girl’s boarding school in Chelsea before 1689. The text, penned by his contemporary Nahum Tate, is based on the librettist’s play “Brutus of Alba” and the fourth book of Virgil’s “Aeneid.”

This passionate tale recounts the love between Dido, the widowed Queen of Carthage, and the Trojan hero Aeneas, who has escaped his country after the sack of Troy. It is, however, Aeneas’ destiny (according to the gods) to leave the queen. With the knowledge that he will soon renounce their love and abandon her, Dido mortally wounds herself.

DOT’s spring production will be Mozart’s “Idomeneo,” which will be presented in English with full orchestration at the Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 E. Balbo Drive, on March 11, 12 and 13.

“Dido and Aeneas” is free and open to the public. For more information, call the DePaul School of Music: (773) 325-7260.