Britten in the Rain: a Dream that charms in parts but lacks cohesion

Iestyn Morris (Oberon)

Barry McGovern (Puck) and Piccolo Lasso (fairies)

The Rustics

Ami Hewitt (Tytania) and Dominic Veilleux (Bottom)

By Andrew Larkin, 29 May 2025

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“fortunately, Britten’s finely-wrought orchestration brought texture where the stage design could not”

Reviewed at Lismore Castle, Lismore on 28 May 2025

Britten, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival

David Brophy, Conductor

Patrick Mason, Director

Paul Keoghan, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Catherine Fay, Costume Designer

Irish Chamber Orchestra

Piccolo Lasso

Iestyn Morris, Oberon

Ami Hewitt, Tytania

Barry McGovern, Puck

Sarah Richmond, Hermia

Amy Ní Fhearraigh, Helena

Peter O'Reilly, Lysander

Gregory Feldmann, Demetrius

Dominic Veilleux, Bottom

Gemma Ní Bhriain, Hippolyta

Conor Prendiville, Flute

Seán Tester, Snout

Massimo Modoni, Starveling

Jakob Mahase, Quince

Rory Dunne, Snug

Christopher Cull, Theseus

A gripping Return of Ulysses from Opera Collective Ireland

Andrew Larkin, 7th September

Fine singing all round, sensitive continuo musicianship and dramatic action make for a thoroughly enjoyable Return of Ulysses by Monteverdi.

****1

Romantic love blooms in the lost garden of West Horsley

John Johnston, 26th June

Olena Tokar's assured coloratura made an immediate success of the waltz with her convincingly adolescent appearance, rhythmic verve and stylish phrasing.

***11

Fun and frolics at Irish National Opera's Figaro

Andrew Larkin, 17th April

A wonderful ful-filled caper by the Irish National Opera of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro with Erraught as Susanna and Miskelly as Cherubino really impressing.

****1

Israelites vs Philistines: Samson et Dalila at Grange Park

David Karlin, 20th June

Grange Park’s Samson et Dalila doesn’t hit the bull’s eye, but it’s well worth the visit for a decent all-round staging of an unfamiliar work, an excellent rendering of its sumptuous score and for a thrilling piece of singing by Carl Tanner.

***11

Chiaroscuro extinguished: a self-indulgent Poppea in Copenhagen

Mengguang Huang, 26th April

Christoph Marthaler’s staging of Monteverdi’s Poppea for the Royal Danish Opera is a study in boredom.

**111

Romeo Castellucci directs a new Pelléas et Mélisande at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 26th April

The Italian director makes his long-awaited Italian operatic debut at the Teatro alla Scala in a production which perfectly mirrors Debussy’s most enigmatic creation.

****1

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Andrew Larkin

Andrew Larkin is a pianist, composer and teacher from Dublin. Educated at Dublin and at Cambridge, he has performed all around Europe and Mexico. He currently teaches piano and composition in Dublin.