Guildhall School presents Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Monday 25, Wednesday 27 February, Friday 1, Monday 4 March 2019
Silk Street Theatre

Music by Benjamin Britten
Libretto adapted from Shakespeare by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears

Dominic Wheeler conductor
Martin Lloyd-Evans director
Ruari Murchison designer
Mark Jonathan lighting designer

Hamilton Cast (25 February & 1 March)

Collin Shay (Oberon); Madison Nonoa (Tytania); Samantha Clarke (Helena); Lucy McAuley (Hermia); Frederick Jones (Lysander); Seán Boylan (Demetrius); Sam Carl (Bottom); Christian Valle (Theseus); Carmen Artaza (Hippolyta); Robert Lewis (Flute); Damian Arnold (Snout); Andrew Hamilton (Starveling); William Thomas (Quince); Tom Mole (Snug); William Sharma (Puck); Regina Freire (Cobweb); Esther Mallett (Moth); Olivia Boen (Peaseblossom); Irene Hoogveld (Mustardseed)

Palmer Cast (27 February & 4 March)

Collin Shay (Oberon); Zoe Drummond (Tytania); Alexandra Lowe (Helena); Carmen Artaza (Hermia); Filipe Manu (Lysander); Benson Wilson (Demetrius); Christian Valle (Bottom); Sam Carl (Theseus); Lucy McAuley (Hippolyta); Robert Lewis (Flute); Damian Arnold (Snout); Matthew Palmer (Starveling); William Thomas (Quince); Tom Mole (Snug); Matthew Dixon (Puck); Regina Freire (Cobweb); Esther Mallett (Moth); Olivia Boen (Peaseblossom); Irene Hoogveld (Mustardseed)

Guildhall School’s award-winning Opera department presents Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, opening on Monday 25 February, for four performances. The opera in three acts is conducted by the School’s Head of Opera Studies Dominic Wheeler and directed by the School’s Resident Producer Martin Lloyd-Evans.

Recognised as one of the most popular of all 20th-century operas, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Britten’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy: a magical tale of lovers, fairies and comic mix-ups. The production first premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1960 and creates an enchanting atmosphere through the use of musical themes and styles which are blurred to create a fascinating juxtaposition between fantasy and reality.

Dominic Wheeler has a wealth of experience conducting both at conservatoires and with major opera companies, including ENO, Opera North, Opera New Zealand, English Touring Opera and Scottish Opera. In 2014 he made his BBC Proms debut conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers in the Pet Shop Boys Late Night Prom. Wheeler became Head of Opera at Guildhall School in 2012, where his conducting credits include The Rape of Lucretia (Spring 2016), the world stage premiere of Arnold’s The Dancing Master and the UK stage premiere of Donizetti’s I pazzi per progetto (March 2015). Other productions at Guildhall School include Mavra and Iolanta in 2016, the world premiere of Julian Philips’ The Tale of Januarie in March 2017, Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites in March 2018 and Così fan tutte in November 2018.

Martin Lloyd-Evans is Resident Producer at Guildhall School and is internationally recognised as a director, teacher and coach. Martin’s work in the development of young professionals, notably at the School, has seen many productions including the UK premieres of The Aspern Papers (RPS award nominee) and Jonathan Dove’s The Little Green Swallow. His ongoing association with British Youth Opera includes The Rape of Lucretia and the London premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Flight, amongst many others. His production of On London Fields for Hackney Music Development Trust, composed by Matthew King, won an RPS award. He is also a regular guest coach for the Jette Parker Young Artists programme at the Royal Opera House. In March 2017, he joined Wheeler to direct Guildhall School’s production of The Tale of Januarie and again the following year for Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites.

Tickets: £25 (£15 concessions), available from Barbican Box Office.