Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream / Alfred Deller - Oberon, Elizabeth Harwood - Tytania, Peter Pears - Lysander, Thomas Hemsley - Demetrius, Josephine Veasey - Hermia, Heather Harper - Helena, Stephen Terry / Decca 3x LP Stereo
SET 338-40
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 64, is an opera with music by Benjamin Britten and set to a libretto adapted by the composer and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was premiered on 11 June 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival, conducted by the composer and with set and costume designs by Carl Toms. Stylistically, the work is typical of Britten, with a highly individual sound-world – not strikingly dissonant or atonal, but replete with subtly atmospheric harmonies and tone painting. The role of Oberon was composed for the countertenor Alfred Deller. Atypically for Britten, the opera did not include a leading role for his partner Pears, who instead was given the comic drag role of Flute/Thisbe.
Label: Decca – SET 338-40
Genre: Classical, Brass & Military
Tracklist:
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
Libretto By [Adapted By] – Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears
Libretto By [Adapted From] – William Shakespeare
Libretto By [Adapted By] – Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears
Libretto By [Adapted From] – William Shakespeare
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| Aa |
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Act Ⅰ - Orchestral Introduction |
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| Ab |
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Act Ⅰ - Chorus: Over Hill, Over Dale |
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| Ac |
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Act Ⅰ - Duet: Ill Met By Moonlight |
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| Ad |
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Act Ⅰ - Scene: Well, Go Thy Way |
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| Ae |
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Act Ⅰ - Duet: How Now My Love ... I Swear To Thee |
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| Af |
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Act Ⅰ - Duet: I Love Thee Not |
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| Ag |
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Act Ⅰ - Air: Welcome, Wanderer ... I know A Bank |
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| Ba |
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Act Ⅰ - Scene: Is All Our Company Here? |
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| Bb |
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Act Ⅰ - Duet: Fair Love You Faint With Wand'ring In The Wood |
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| Bc |
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Act Ⅰ - Sililoquy: Through The Forest Have I Gone |
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| Bd |
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Act Ⅰ - Scene: Stay, Tho'Thou Kill Me |
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| Be |
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Act Ⅰ - Air: Come Now A Roundel |
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| Bf |
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Act Ⅰ - Lullaby: You Spotted Snakes With Double Tongue |
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| Bg |
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Act Ⅰ - Air: What Thou Seest When Thou Dost Wake |
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| Ca |
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Act Ⅱ - Orchestral Introduction |
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| Cb |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene: Are We All Met? |
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| Cc |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene: I See Theyr Knavery |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene (a): How Now, Mad Spirit |
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| Da |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene (b): Flower Of This Purple Die |
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| Db |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene (c): Oh, Hellen, Goddess, Nymph... Sweet, Do Not Scorn Her So |
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| Dc |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene (d): This Is Thy Negligence |
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| Dd |
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Act Ⅱ - Air: Thou Seest These Lovers Seek A Place To Fight |
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| De |
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Act Ⅱ - Scene: Up SAnd Down, Up And Down |
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| Df |
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Act Ⅱ - Chorus: On The Ground, Sleep Sound |
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| Ea |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 1 - Orchestral Introduction |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 1 - Scene And Duet: My Gentle Robin ... My Oberon |
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| Ec |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 1 - Scene: Helena! H Demetrius! Lysander!ermia! |
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| Ed |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 1 - Soliloquy: When My Cue Comes, Call Me |
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| Ee |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 1 - Scene: Have You Sent To Bottom's House? |
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| Ef |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Transformation Scene: Orchestral March |
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| Eg |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Scene: Now, Fair Hippolyta, Our Nuptial Hour |
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| Fa |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - The Play: Pyramus And Thisbe |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Prologue: If We Offend... All For Your Delight |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Bergamask Dance |
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| Fd |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Chorus: Now, The Hungry Lion Roars |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Duet: Through The House Give Glimm'ring Light |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Chorus: Now Until The Break Of day |
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| Fg |
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Act Ⅲ Scene 2 - Epilogue: If We Shadows Have Offended |
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- Baritone Vocals [Demetrius] – Thomas Hemsley (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Fg)
- Baritone Vocals [Sarveling] – Keith Raggett (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Bass Vocals [Quince] – Norman Lumsden (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Bass Vocals [Snug] – David Kelly (7) (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Bass Vocals [Theseus] – John Shirley-Quirk (tracks: Ea to Fg)
- Bass-Baritone Vocals [Bottom] – Owen Brannigan (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Choir – Choir Of Downside School, Purley (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Eg), Chorus Of Boys From Emanuel School, Wandsworth (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Eg)
- Chorus Master – Christian Strover (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Eg), Derrick Herdman (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Eg)
- Composed By, Conductor – Benjamin Britten
- Conductor [Assistant] – Stuart Bedford
- Contralto Vocals [Hippolyta] – Helen Watts (tracks: Ea to Fg)
- Countertenor Vocals [Oberon] – Alfred Deller
- Design Concept [Album Cover And Booklet] – Decca Publicity Art Department
- Liner Notes [Booklet Article] – John Warrack
- Liner Notes [Booklet Synopsis] – Peggie Cochrane
- Mezzo-soprano Vocals [Hermia] – Josephine Veasey (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Fg)
- Orchestra – The London Symphony Orchestra
- Photography By [Booklet: Recording Sessions] – Hans Wild (2)
- Producer – John Culshaw
- Soprano Vocals [Helena] – Heather Harper (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Fg)
- Soprano Vocals [Tytania] – Elizabeth Harwood (tracks: Aa to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Tenor Vocals [Flute] – Kenneth Macdonald (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Tenor Vocals [Lysander] – Peter Pears (tracks: Aa to Bg, Da to Fg)
- Tenor Vocals [Snout] – Robert Tear (tracks: Ba to Cd, Ea to Fg)
- Treble Vocals [Cobweb] – Richard Dakin (tracks: Aa to Cd, Fa to Fg)
- Treble Vocals [Moth] – Gordon Clark (3) (tracks: Aa to Cd, Fa to Fg)
- Treble Vocals [Mustardseed] – Ian Wodehouse (tracks: Aa to Cd, Fa to Fg)
- Treble Vocals [Peaseblossom] – John Pryer (tracks: Aa to Cd, Fa to Fg)
- Vocals [A Fairy] – Eric Alder
- Vocals [Puck] – Stephen Terry
