Opera

Benjamin Britten

A Midsummer Night's Dream

10 Mar, 26 - 22 Mar, 26

New production of the Teatro Real

Musical conductor
Ivor Bolton

Stage direction
Deborah Warner

Orchestra
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

Leer menos

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

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 Ru Charlesworth

Snug Henry Waddington

Snout John Graham-Hall

Starveling Andrew Shore

Releases

Protective Friend

15 December

2025

Supporter and Benefactor Friend

16 December

2025

Patron friends

17 December

2025

Subscribers friend

18 December

2025

Tickets on sale

19 December

2025

Performances

Date/hour
Space
Cast
Subscription ticket

10 March 2026