B. Britten‘s A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of the most successful operatic adaptations of W. Shakespeare's play. The opera is faithful to the original – it contains much of W. Shakespeare's own text. A work of truly enchanting spirit, it flourishes in the unique world of a midsummer night's dream. The premiere of the opera took place in 1960 at the Aalborg Festival – it was conducted by the composer himself, and directed by choreographer John Cranko. The comic, poetic, romantic story is attractive due to its numerous layers: some will see it as a traditional fairy tale with plenty of funny situations, while others will discover a whole treasure trove of psychology. Music lovers will hear musical gestures of respect and satire based on various classical works in the genre of opera, from Baroque to A. Schoenberg. Ultimately, it is a magical and extremely romantic evening.
