A Glyndebourne Dream that works its sinister magic

Tim Mead (Oberon) and Liv Redpath (Tytania)

Oliver Barlow (Puck)

Liv Redpath (Tytania), Brandon Cedel (Bottom) and fairies

Henry Waddington (Quince), Alex Otterburn (Starveling), James Way (Flute) and Patrick Guetti (Snug)

Tim Mead (Oberon), Liv Redpath (Tytania) and fairies

Caspar Singh (Lysander) Rachael Wilson (Hermia) Lauren Fagan (Helena), Samuel Dale Johnson

By Mark Pullinger, 02 July 2023

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“there’s a constant feeling of being watched, under fairy surveillance”

Reviewed at Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne on 1 July 2023

Britten, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Dalia Stasevska, Conductor

Peter J. Hall, Director

John Bury, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Paul Pyant, Lighting Designer

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Trinity Boys Choir

Lynne Hockney, Revival Director, Choreography

Tim Mead, Oberon

Liv Redpath, Tytania

Oliver Barlow, Puck

Caspar Singh, Lysander

Rachael Wilson, Hermia

Samuel Dale Johnson, Demetrius

Lauren Fagan, Helena

Brandon Cedel, Bottom

Henry Waddington, Quince

Patrick Guetti, Snug

Alex Otterburn, Starveling

James Way, Flute

Alasdair Elliott, Snout

Dingle Yandell, Theseus

Rosie Aldridge, Hippolyta

Glyndebourne revives Michieletto’s Kátya Kabanová

Mark Valencia, 3rd August

Damiano Michieletto’s production of Janáček’s opera breaks a key tenet of high-concept opera: where it should reveal, it obfuscates.

***11

All the world’s a jest: Falstaff returns to Glyndebourne

Mark Pullinger, 23rd July

Richard Jones' 2009 production returns to Glyndebourne after a long absence, but the 1940s comedy scrubs up fresh.

***11

A strong new Figaro opens at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 29th June

Mariame Clément is a popular director at Glyndebourne, and her new production of Figaro shows her trademark approach to hardhitting comedy.

****1

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Nick Boston, 8th June

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

Unhurried suspense in a very English Parsifal

Peter Quantrill, 17th May

Compelling singers carry the day in the Glyndebourne Festival Opera's first staging of Wagner’s swansong.

****1

Glyndebourne’s season opens with Rossini’s Barber of Seville

David Karlin, 16th May

Annabel Arden’s production provides joyous comedy, with vocal and orchestral performances of the very finest.

*****

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Britten at Glyndebourne: A Dream staging that works its sinister magic once again