"There are productions that are pulled out of the operatic closet over many decades, veritable warhorses some of which creak and groan like ancient equines bearing a load that they are no longer fit for. But tonight's revival of Sir Peter Hall's classic 1981 Festival production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream' with its fine young cast, was met with a roar of approval from the autumn season crowd and still felt as magical and dreamlike as ever."
"The libretto is built on Britten and Peter Pears' edit of Shakespeare's text, cut and reshaped for the operatic stage. Britten's score operates in 3 zones the magical, the comic and the romantic, with a transparent orchestration that illuminates the dark emotional subtexts of Britten's score, whilst also marking the comedic elements with cartoonish trombones. The composer's vocal lines are mostly unmelismatic, creating a theatrical sense of immediacy with some gorgeous quasi-fugal ensemble writing."
"In the fairy realm of the forest, King Oberon and Queen Tytania are quarrelling over the 'ownership' of the queen's young page. Oberon instructs his mischievous servant Puck to to make Tytania fall in love with the first creature she sees upon waking. Oberon also orders Puck to use the flower on Demetrius to make him love Helena. However, Puck mistakenly enchants Lysander instead. Chaos ensues as both Lysander and Demetrius pursue Helena, while Hermia is left confused a"
Sir Peter Hall's 1981 Festival production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream revived at Aldeburgh retains a magical, dreamlike quality and received enthusiastic audience approval. Lynne Hockney, the original choreographer, directed the revival to preserve Hall's vision. The libretto uses Britten and Peter Pears' edited Shakespeare text, reshaped for opera. Britten's score divides into magical, comic, and romantic zones, with transparent orchestration that reveals dark emotional subtexts and comic elements emphasized by cartoonish trombones. Vocal lines are largely unmelismatic, producing theatrical immediacy alongside quasi-fugal ensembles. The plot follows four lovers and a fairy quarrel involving Oberon, Tytania, Puck, and enchanted affections.
Read at www.london-unattached.com
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