Midsummer Night’s Dream, A

Synopsis: Ten-part series in which John Evans talks to distinguished interpreters of Britten’s operas about recordings and performances with which they are closely associated. In episode 8 Sir Peter Hall talks about A Midsummer Night’s Dream, first performed at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1960. Hall directed a celebrated revival of the opera at Glyndebourne in 1981 and has also filmed and directed Shakespeare’s play. Hall sees Britten’s opera as an erotic response to Shakespeare’s play, celebrating ‘the wonder and danger of lust’. The cast heard in the programme is that in the recording made in Walthamstow Town Hall in 1966 with Downside School Choir and the Emanuel School Choir, Wandsworth. The London Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Britten with Alfred Deller (Oberon), Elizabeth Harwood (Tytania) Stephen Terry (Puck) and Owen Brannigan as Bottom. This recording is catalogued separately.
Series: Performing Britten
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Radio
Transmission details: 8 Apr 2007 at 15:00 (Channel: BBC Radio 3)
Duration: 60 mins

Production type: Documentary/Educational/News
Plays: Midsummer Night’s Dream, A
Subjects: Drama; Music
Keywords: Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976); opera; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

SHAKESPEARE