Opera
Benjamin Britten
A Midsummer Night's Dream
10 Mar, 26 - 22 Mar, 26
New production of the Teatro Real

Ivor Bolton
Deborah Warner
Orchestra of Teatro Real
Two decades after its premiere, this modern classical gem by one of the greatest opera composers of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten, returns to the Teatro Real. Based on Shakespeare’s comedy that also inspired Purcell to create The Fairy Queen (also performed in the 25-26 season), it is brought to the stage in a production by Deborah Warner that reflects dreams, reality, love and magic.
Opera in three acts, Op. 64
Music by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Libretto by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, after William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1600)
Premiered at Jubilee Hall of Aldeburgh (Suffolk) on 11 June 1960
Premiered at Teatro Real on 11 January 2006
Producers Teatro Real, in co-production with Royal Ballet and Opera (London) and Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Artistic team
Conductor: Ivor Bolton
Director: Deborah Warner
Set design: Christof Hetzer
Costume design: Luis Carvalho
Lighting design: Urs Schönebaum
Movemen director: Kim Brandstrup
Children Chorus director: Ana González
Cast
Oberon: Iestyn Davies
Tytania: Liv Redpath
Puck: Joan Leyba
Theseus: Thomas Oliemans
Hippolyta: Christine Rice
Lysander: Sam Furness
Demetrius: Jacques Imbrailo
Hermia: Simone McIntosh
Helena: Jacquelyn Wagner
Bottom: Simon Keenlyside
Quince: Clive Bayley
Flute: Rupert Charlesworth
Snug: Henry Waddington
Snout: John Graham-Hall
Starveling: Andrew Shore
Ochestra of the Teatro Real
Little Singers of the ORCAM
Synopsis and more information
Oberon orders Puck to find a herb to make a magic elixir: whoever drinks it will fall in love with the first creature they see when they wake. Lysander and Hermia are going to get married. Demetrius is in love with Hermia and Helena with Demetrius. Oberon decides to help Helena, but Puck mistakenly pours elixir into Lysander's eyes. When he wakes up, he sees Helena, which makes him fall in love with her. Oberon also casts a spell on Tytania, while Puck casts a spell on one of the rustics, giving him a donkey’s head. Tytania wakes up, sees the donkey and falls in love with him. Oberon realises everything has gone wrong, so he decides to cast a spell on Demetrius, who, when he wakes up and sees Helena, falls in love with her. She and Hermia quarrel and Lysander and Demetrius decide to fight a duel. Before the sun rises, Oberon decides to remove the spell from his queen and become reconciled with her. When dawn breaks, everything returns to normal: everyone is with the right partner and life is back on the right track, in an unchangeable social order.
Cast
Releases
Protective Friend
15 December
2025Supporter and Benefactor Friend
16 December
2025Patron friends
17 December
2025Subscribers friend
18 December
2025Tickets on sale
19 December
2025Performances
- Date/hour
- Space
- Cast
- Subscription ticket
10 March 2026
19:30
Main Auditorium
12 March 2026
19:30
Main Auditorium
14 March 2026
19:30
Main Auditorium
17 March 2026
19:30
Main Auditorium
20 March 2026
19:30
Main Auditorium
22 March 2026
18:00
Main Auditorium
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