SARATOGA SPRINGS — Musicians of Ma’alwyck and Excelsior Vocal Ensemble recently announced a collaboration to present “Dido and Aeneas,” an opera by Henry Purcell that is rarely performed in the Capital Region.

The opera will be presented in conjunction with John Blow’s “Ode on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell.”

“Dido and Aeneas,” based on The Aeneid, is one the earliest English operas. This semi-staged performance directed by Sharon Greene will feature acclaimed soloists and premiere dance interludes. John Blow’s ode, scored for chamber orchestra and two tenors, was written as a tribute to Blow’s student after his death.

There will be two performances: Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs, and Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. For tickets, visit secure.qgiv.com/for/concertticketing/event/dido/.

BALLSTON SPA — Two concerts are coming up for the Sounds in Winter chamber music series at Ballston Spa’s Brookside Museum. Both concerts start at 3 p.m. and are free to attend. Tea and cookies will be served. Registration is requested at www.brooksidemuseum.org.

On Feb. 14: The “A Touch of Woodwinds” quintet of flute, clarinet, oboe, horn, and bassoon will perform. The group is composed of performing members of the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra. The quintet’s repertoire utilizes music from the renaissance (ie. Morley), baroque (ie. Bach), classical (ie. Mozart), romantic (ie. Grieg), impressionistic (ie. Debussy), contemporary (ie. Hindemith), and pops era (ie. Mancini).

On Feb. 21: The Eribeth Trio—made up of local musicians Elizabeth Silver on violin, Erica Pickhardt on cello, and Kristen Tuttman on the piano—will perform. Founding members Silver and Pickhardt are members of the Albany Symphony and have performed chamber music together for more than 30 years.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Is social media more terrifying than a monster?

In “Trad Wife,” the latest horror novel from author Saratoga Schaefer, that question lurks beneath the story’s surface. 

Camille, the novel’s main character, incessantly seeks validation from social media as she tries to manifest the “perfect” homemaker lifestyle. But when she struggles to get pregnant, she calls upon sinister forces for aid.

“I think one of the fun things about this book is that there’s the obvious horror,” Schaefer told Saratoga TODAY, “But the real horror is the social horror that comes through the relationship and the power imbalance [Camille] has with her husband, and then also the obsession she has with social media and needing to present a certain way online and needing people to like her. That, I think, is more frightening than the overt horror.”

A traditional wife or “trad” wife is a recent phenomenon that has seen young women reject much of the modern world to revert back to a simpler and, they contend, happier existence. Instead of spending all day in an office hunched over a keyboard, they spend the day cooking, taking care of kids, and maintaining an impeccably designed home—all for the benefit of their social media followers.

A number of studies have been conducted in an effort to better understand this trend. According to researchers at King’s College London, “the glamorization of domesticated roles for women is less a genuine embrace of tradition and more a plea from younger generations, reflecting what they describe as the impossible balance demanded by modern work and family life.” Two researchers at the University of Pennsylvania posit that mainstream feminists and trad wives are both “responding to the same broken system, but in very different ways. While each is rooted in women’s rage, the direction and consequences of that rage diverge sharply.”

Schaefer’s portrayal of Camille is complex. In some ways, Camille is sympathetic. In other ways, she’s profoundly unlikeable. But for much of the story, she seems to be under the spell of social media, which results in Camille doing things she knows are wrong.

“She is actively deluding herself for a good portion of the book,” Schaefer said. “I really wanted to get into the mindset of somebody who is a younger person who is attracted to this lifestyle.”

Camille chooses to discard facts and critical thinking in favor of agreeing with social media personalities who can bestow upon her more followers and fame. Camille’s obsession with portraying herself as the perfect influencer leads to horrendous consequences, some real and others supernatural. Trapped in a “Rosemary’s Baby” scenario in which she is pregnant with a creature that is less than human, Camille continues to post through the pain, pretending that her life is perfect when, in fact, it’s spiraling towards disaster.

To reveal more of the plot would spoil the fun. Though “Trad Wife” explores real issues, it’s also a spooky story with elements reminiscent of “Midsommar,” “The Witch,” and, of course, “Rosemary’s Baby.”

Schaefer’s new novel will be released on Feb. 10. Two days later, they’ll be in person at the Northshire Bookstore for a conversation with fellow author Dennis Mahoney. It’ll be an event in Saratoga featuring a person named Saratoga. Yes, it’s a bit unusual, and yes, Schaefer was named after the Spa City.

“I love my name,” Schaefer said. “I understand that people do a little bit of a double take when I say it.”

They’ll be doing a double take when they read the shocking yet thoughtful “Trad Wife” too. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Ensemble Connect—a group of young professional classical musicians from Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute— will return to Skidmore College for a February residency.

The public is invited to attend a culminating concert on Friday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arthur Zankel Music Center that highlights notable American composers and includes the world premiere of “Broke” by George Lewis, composer-in-residence with Ensemble Connect.

The program also features Valerie Coleman’s “Portraits of Langston”; Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” performed with Skidmore student musicians; two works by Joplin, including “The Entertainer,” arranged by Franz Beyer, and “Paragon Rag,” arranged by William Zinn; and Ives’ “String Quartet No. 1, From the Salvation Army.” 

The performance on Feb. 13 is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For more information, visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Country superstar Tim McGraw will perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on July 25, Live Nation announced Tuesday. 

He’ll be joined by alternative country band 49 Winchester.

McGraw’s tour, dubbed The Pawn Shop Guitar Tour, precedes his new track “Pawn Shop Guitar,” which is set for release early next month.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Joel Moss, the Caffe Lena broadcast and sound technician who passed away last year, was honored during the Grammy Awards’ “In Memoriam” segment on Sunday night. 

Moss’ long and illustrious career in the music business earned him 6 Grammy wins and 11 nominations. 

“From working with music legends to championing artists and music education close to home, Joel’s impact reached far beyond any single stage,” said Caffe Lena in a social media post. “We are grateful for all he gave to our community and to the world of music.”

Moss’ final award at the Grammys came in 2015, when he won Best Musical Theater Album for “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” His previous wins also included Best Musical Show Album for “In The Heights” in 2009, and Album Of The Year for “Genius Loves Company” in 2005.

Moss was a record producer, sound engineer, and mixer who recorded albums for artists such as Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Little Richard, and Joe Cocker. His life and career began in Detroit, where he led a Hebrew folk quintet called The Hi-Liters that played at Lena in 1963. In the Saratoga area, he recorded and produced several albums for charity, including “A Saratoga Christmas Wish,” which raised $70,000 for Make-A-Wish Northeast New York.

The Maple Avenue Musical Club put on a dress rehearsal this week in preparation for its upcoming production of “Frozen,” which will be performed on Jan. 30, Jan. 31, Feb. 6, and Feb. 7 at Maple Avenue Middle School’s Trombley Auditorium. The musical features a cast and crew of 66 students. Tickets can be purchased at gofan.co/app/school/NY82277. Photo by Rob Spring.