The Royal Opera House Muscat is delighted to present A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the opera by Benjamin Britten to be performed at the opera house over two nights on 9 and 10 February. This wonderful classical tale, based on the comedy by William Shakespeare, is a brand-new production between Teatro Carlo Felice di Genoa and the Royal Opera House Muscat, and was premiered in Genova in October 2023.
The production is mesmerising. Directed by the acclaimed British director and producer, Laurence Dale, the crew and cast are as glittering as the production. Gary McCann is in charge of costumes and the choreography has been revived by Carmine De Amicis. Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream was first shown in the UK in 1960 making it a relatively young opera. The libretto was penned by Peter Pears (1910-1986) and is faithful the original wording by Shakespeare. The transformation to opera makes this well known and loved comedy even more spectacular on stage.
Loosely carved into three dimensions, the story revolves around the passion and rivalry between the strong main characters: while the fairy king and queen quarrel over a young page; young Athenians fall in and out of love, defying their parent’s wishes and falling prey to the mischievous meddling of Puck, the fairy with the love potion made from the nectar of flowers; and in the same forest, an hilarious group of friends gather to rehearse a play for the wedding of the Theseus, the Duke, among them the infamous character known as Bottom. The story weaves its wonderful magic, set against the backdrop of a tangled forest and fizzing with the magic of fairies.
Tickets are available for A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the box office. They can also be purchased on the website or via the ROHM app. Choose from either Friday 9 or Saturday 10 February. A pre-performance talk, discussing the production with members of the creative team, will take place at 6pm each evening, this talk is for ticket holders only.
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