12/21/13 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 1:00pm

Metropolitan Opera

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, after Shakespeare

Sung in Italian
Approximate running time 3 hrs. 35 min.

Britten’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s magical romance returns to the Met for the first time in ten years, in celebration of the composer’s centennial. James Conlon conducts the gifted ensemble, which includes soprano Kathleen Kim as Tytania and countertenor Iestyn Davies as Oberon—the fairies’ Queen and King.

“Superbly cast and beautifully conducted by James Conlon…The young cast was as good as any the Met has fielded for Britten in years, led by Iestyn Davies, calmly commanding as Oberon… Mr. Davies is fearsomely eloquent and velvety in the middle and low parts of his voice…Kathleen Kim sang Tytania, the fairy queen, with fresh, sensuous lyricism.”

“The quartet of misbegotten human lovers was wonderful: the tenor Joseph Kaiser as Lysander, the baritone Michael Todd Simpson a resonant Demetrius, the soprano Erin Wall bright-voiced as Helena and, most memorably, Elizabeth DeShong as Hermia, her mezzo-soprano creamy and her acting memorable in slapstick and heartache.”

“The mechanicals, too, were excellent, particularly the rich-toned, thoughtful bass Matthew Rose as Bottom and the agile tenor Barry Banks as Flute. Riley Costello brought a provocatively bitter edge to Puck, which Britten wrote for a nonsinging acrobat.”
— New York Times

“The performance is crisp, lithe and vivid…Iestyn Davies brings a charismatic, animated presence to the vengeful king Oberon…Kathleen Kim handles her high-flying part with cool-toned ease…The children’s chorus is exacting and energetic in percussive interludes…Matthew Rose is spot-on with his voluminous bass, his adroit physical presence and his embrace of the character’s self-aggrandizing tendencies.”
—The Star-Ledger

Cast/Crew