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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Benjamin Britten

Event details

A visually striking and atmospheric production of Britten’s retelling of Shakespeare’s tale is co-produced with Santa Fe Opera and will include members of our Youth Company as the children’s chorus. We are delighted that this large ensemble cast will feature returning Garsington artists, including Iestyn Davies and Lucy Crowe, bringing magic to the Opera Pavilion with its enchanting garden setting.

In a mystical world, humans are muddled and misled by the inhabitants of a fairy world, becoming the playthings of the quarrelling King Oberon and Queen Tytania. This tale of enchantment, madness and love is brought to life through Britten’s extraordinary orchestration, creating a sound-world of unearthly beauty. We welcome back Netia Jones as director/designer and Douglas Boyd to conduct our resident orchestra the Philharmonia, who have brought world-class playing to Garsington over the last few years.

Sung in English with English supertitles

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A Midsummer Night's Dream

★★★★★
“An outstanding British cast without a weak link, all of whom will be at the Royal Albert Hall in September when Garsington brings a version of this Dream to the Proms. Crowe is in gorgeous voice, her Come Now a Roundel luscious, and, under the influence of Puck’s narcotics, singing with honeyed inebriation.”
Neil Fisher, The Times, 17 June

★★★★
“Iestyn Davies’ ideally articulate and subtly voiced Oberon”
George Hall, The Stage, 17 June

★★★★
“Superbly played by the Philharmonia Orchestra under Douglas Boyd, bringing out all the unresolved tensions and sweet resolutions of the score”
Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH, 17 June

Cast & Creative Team

Cast

Oberon

Iestyn Davies

Tytania

Lucy Crowe

Puck

Jerone Marsh-Reid

Bottom

Richard Burkhard

Lysander

Caspar Singh

Demetrius

James Newby

Hermia

Stephanie Wake-Edwards

Helena

Camilla Harris

Theseus

Nicholas Crawley

Hippolyta

Christine Rice

Quince

John Savournin

Flute

James Way

Snug

Frazer Scott

Starveling

Geoffrey Dolton

Snout

Adam Sullivan

Creative Team

Conductor

Douglas Boyd

Director and Designer

Netia Jones

Lighting Designer

D.M. Wood

Choreographer

Rebecca Meltzer

Fight Director

Christian Sordelet
Philharmonia Orchestra
Garsington Opera Youth Company

Videos

Iestyn Davies sings Handel

Internationally acclaimed artist Iestyn Davies wowed our audiences with his “exceptional performance” in last year’s Mitridate, re di Ponto, and returns as Oberon, a role he revives after performing in the premiere of this production in Santa Fe.

Known for the beauty and musicality of his interpretations, this clip of his recording of “Oh Lord, whose mercies numberless” from Handel’s Saul, which he is remembered for performing at Glyndebourne, is the perfect preview of what we can expect.

Lucy Crowe singing The Messiah

Last seen on the Garsington Opera stage at Garsington Manor as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) in 2005 and Elisa (Il re pastore) in 2007, Lucy Crowe is back as Tytania.

A much-loved soprano both at home and abroad, Lucy is known for her work both on stage and on disc with an extensive catalogue of recordings. Here is Lucy performing “I know my redeemer liveth” from Handel’s Messiah under the baton of Laurence Cummings at the London Handel Festival.

 

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