BBC Proms: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Benjamin Britten
Event details
Tuesday 10 September
Garsington Opera makes its debut at the BBC Proms this summer, bringing its production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the Royal Albert Hall in a semi-staged version.
A British cast featuring some of the most exciting young singers of today, and including former members of Garsington Opera’s Alvarez Young Artists programme, joins Iestyn Davies, Lucy Crowe and Richard Burkhard on stage with the Philharmonia conducted by Garsington’s Artistic Director, Douglas Boyd.
The fairies will be played by children from the Garsington Opera Youth Company, sourced from 19 different local schools and working with GO Participate (our Learning and Participation programme). Many of these children have never performed on stage before and are beginning their journey into opera with workshops before joining the adult cast and creative team in rehearsals. We are delighted that the culmination of their experience will be to appear at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the world’s greatest classical music festival.
Semi-staged; sung in English, with English surtitles
Tuesday 10 September
Tuesday 10 September
“As mentioned, this the first time Garsington Opera has performed at the Proms. No doubt, with its resident contemporary orchestra The Philharmonia, it won’t be the last.”
“All four lovers were in excellent voice, suiting their characters perfectly. Camilla Harris (Helena) had a lovely, light soprano voice, Stephanie Wake-Edwards (Hermia) a warm, rich contralto, Caspar Singh (Lysander) a plangent tenor, and James Newby a suitably robust baritone (Demetrius). All four relished their acting roles, bringing vivid characterisation to each one”
Nick Holmes, Music.com, 15 September
“Star of the show-within-a-play, as so often, was Flute/Thisbe, here progressing from tremulous “let not me play a woman” to indomitable queen in a bright-red ballgown; three cheers for the charismatic James Way”
David Nice, Theartsdesk.com , 11 September
“Huge plaudits should also go to Daniel Vening, who stepped up at the last minute to take on the major role of Bottom. Vening was designated cover during the production’s run this summer, so was able to perform off-book and to great aplomb – his Nick Bottom had just the right balance of pomposity and enthusiasm … Vening’s efforts were loudly appreciated by the audience and the entire company, and justly so.”
“Iestyn Davies’ turn as Oberon was incredibly memorable. To juxtapose his angelic voice with the cruelty of the King of the Fairies only made the character more sinister”
Debbie Gilpin, broadwayworld.com, 11 September
“Stephanie Wake-Edwards mezzo Hermia is a delight in her ardent passion, her despair and especially fury. Wake-Edwards takes full possession of Hermia’s anxiety, delight, betrayal, anger and dazed revelation and every note is resolute and clear”.
Simon Jenner, fringereview.co.uk, 11 September
“Lucy Crowe’s bewitching Tytania used her silvery-voiced instrument to telling effect, caressing Britten’s vocal lines, even in the stratospheric reaches of the part”
Keith McDonnell, seenandheard-international.com, 11 September
Cast & Creative Team
Cast
Oberon
Iestyn Davies
Tytania
Lucy Crowe
Puck
Jerone Marsh-Reid
Bottom
Daniel Vening
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
Semi-staging is by Rebecca Meltzer based on the 2024 Garsington Opera production directed and designed by Netia Jones.
