A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Opera by Benjamin Britten
Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the 19th Beijing Music Festival (2016)
Librettist
LanguageEnglish
Based onShakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Premiere
11 June 1960 (1960-06-11)

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 64, is an opera with music by Benjamin Britten and set to a libretto adapted by the composer and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was premiered on 11 June 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival, conducted by the composer and with set and costume designs by Carl Toms.[1] Stylistically, the work is typical of Britten, with a highly individual sound-world – not strikingly dissonant or atonal,[1] but replete with subtly atmospheric harmonies and tone painting. The role of Oberon was composed for the countertenor Alfred Deller. Atypically for Britten, the opera did not include a leading role for his partner Pears, who instead was given the comic drag role of Flute/Thisbe.