A striking, if perplexing, Midsummer Night's Dream from Opera Zuid

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Kristina Bitenc (Tytania)

The Mechanicals

Kristina Bitenc (Tytania) and Marc Pantus (Bottom)

By Clare Varney, 26 May 2022

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“astounding feats of athleticism displayed by Dreya Weber as Puck”

Reviewed at Theater De Spiegel, Zwolle on 24 May 2022

Britten, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Opera Zuid

Karel Deseure, Conductor

Ola Mafaalani, Director

André Joosten, Set Designer

Regine Standfuss, Costume Designer

Floriaan Ganzevoort, Lighting Designer

Philharmonie Zuidnederland

Jan Wouters, Oberon

Kristina Bitenc, Tytania

Dreya Weber, Puck

Liesbeth Devos, Helena

Leonie van Rheden, Hermia

Ted Black, Lysander

Ed Ballard, Demetrius

Marc Pantus, Bottom

Quirijn de Lang, Theseus

Eva Kroon, Hippolyta

Bart Driessen, Quince

Christopher Gillett, Flute

Mitch Raemaekers, Snout

Galen Dole, Starveling

Andrew Greenan, Snug

Descent into hell: Opera Zuid's madcap Orpheus in the Underworld

Eleanor Knight, 13th June

A touring show on a frugal budget, but Opera Zuid's take on Offenbach's diabolical delights hits the spot in burning temperatures in the Netherlands.

***11

In Amsterdam, a Matrimonio segreto for the future

Nicolas Nguyen, 18th March

Young singers, musicians and designers in this Matrimonio segreto co-produced by the three main opera companies in the Netherlands show that, on the stage and in the pit at least, the future of opera is bright.

****1

An enthusiastic and vibrant La traviata

David Pinedo, 2nd July

On a warm summer night, Opera Zuid closes its season with an impassioned, but keen production of La traviata in the Concertgebouw.

***11

Voller Jugend für die Jugend: L'elisir d'amore an der Opera Zuid

Rainer Zerbst, 23rd May

Ohne Chor, gekürzt und verjüngt – ein temporeicher und spritziger Liebestrank an der Opera Zuid.

****1

A cinematic Seven Deadly Sins from Dutch National Opera

Kevin Wells, 18th March

Director Ola Mafaalani has created an absorbing and completely cinematic version of the opera, combining stationary and handheld cameras to create a pictorial variety of perspectives and expressionistic framing

****1

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

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Clare Varney

Clare is a freelance writer and music critic from the UK, currently living in the Netherlands where she writes about Music, Food and Culture. Clare is a passionate musician, having learnt the violin and piano from an early age. When not at her laptop writing, she spends her time nurturing the next generation of brass players, all from her Dutch kitchen in the sky. Read more at The Spidy Editor.