Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Opera in three acts

Libretto adapted from William Shakespeare
by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears

Metropolitan Opera

November 25, 1996

Lincoln Center

Cast:

Oberon, King of the Fairies- Jochen Kowalski
Tytania, Queen of the fairies- Sylvia McNair
Puck- Nick Stahl
Theseus, Duke of Athens- Jeffrey Wells
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus- Victoria Livengood
Lysander, in love with Hermia- Kurt Streit
Demetrius, in love with Hermia- Rodney Gilfry
Hermia, in love with Lysander- Jane Bunnell
Helena, in love with Demetrius- Nancy Gustafson
Bottom, a weaver- Peter Rose
Quince, a carpenter- John Del Carlo
Flute, a bellows-inender- Barry Banks
Snug, a joiner- James Courtney
Snout, a tinker- Anthony Laciura
Starveling, a tailor- Bradley Garvin
Cobweb, a fairy- William Scot Murray
Peaseblossom, a fairy- Nicholas Frisch
Mustardseed, a fairy- Benjamin Diskant
Moth, a fairy- Benjamin Ungar

Metropolitan Opera
David Atherton, conductor
Tim Albery, production
Antony McDonald, set and costume design
Thomas Webster, lighting design
Philippe Giraudeau, choreographer
Elena Doria, children's chorus director
Dennis Giauque, Kemal Khan, Linda Hall, and Scott Bergeson, musica preparation
Peter McClintock, Brenda Nuckton, and Michael Scarola, assistant stage directors
Sonya Haddad, met titles
Mark Gould, Solo trumpet

Opera

Newspaper article review

Magazine article review

"'Midsummer Night's' Art Is in the Wrong Place"
by Terry Teachout

Daily News
November 27, 1996

"Classical Music: All About Elves"
by Peter G. Davis

New York
December 16, 1996

"The Battle of Britten: His bittersweet operas are in prickly bloom"
by Alex Ross

"Setting Shakespeare Free In a Cartoon Fairy Tale"
by Bernard Holland

"Countertenors on a High"
by Heidi Waleson

The Wall Street Journal
December 11, 1996