This version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Glyndebourne Festival Opera (1981), is a comedy, written by William Shakespeare with music by Benjamin Britten. A libretto is adapted by the composer and Peter Pears. It was premiered on 11 June 1960.
Mendelson, it is not but everyone deserves a chance to express themselves. The only problem with this is because they wanted the opera to sound operatic, it is impossible to understand even in English and requires subtitles to see what they are trying to say. The plot varies some from the play but fits this production.
The costumes may be period but they are distracting from what you would expect. However, the trees looked pretty good.
All the people (probably again because it is supposed to be an opera are old and misplaced for the characters. Naturally, the actors in this version are not the same as the ones that were in the original production.
Cast:
Ileana Cotrubas, Titania
James Bowman, Oberon
Ryland Davies, Lysander
Dale Duesing, Demetrius
Felicity Lott, Helena
Leuwe Visser, Theseus
Curt Appelgren, Bottom
Donald Bell, Starveling
Roger Bryson, Quince
It may be possible that this is an acquired taste. If so, this is no place to begin acquiring.
