Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream / Bowman, Cotrubas, Lott, Buchanan, Davies, Duesing, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Benjamin Britten, Dale Duesing, Felicity Lott, Ileana Cotrubas, James BowmanDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Classical, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 156 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-07-27
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Kultur Video
Movie Reviews of Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream / Bowman, Cotrubas, Lott, Buchanan, Davies, Duesing, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera
Movie Review: Britten is the Pits, but not a Bottomless pit
Summary: 3 Stars
I hate this opera.
Don't get me wrong. This production is a glorious feast for the eyes as the faeries in their exotic costumes dance through an enchanted wood. The magical lighting suffuses each scene so that the moonlight appears mystically misty and the guests watching the "play within the play" are washed in a beery golden light. The singers are fabulous. The part of Oberon was written for countertenor James Bowman and he puts in a performance that is out of this world. Bottom in his donkey's head is so cute and fluffy one totally understands why Tytania just loves him.
This is the 1981 Glyndebourne Festival production, and one has to take it as the standard for all others to follow. I want to emphasize: This is GREAT and deserves FIVE STARS.
But I hate it. The pacing seems really slow, especially since I have to listen to Benjamin Britten's music. I have other stuff by him and I have discovered that I must be allergic to him or something. Listening to his music makes me nauseous. I don't know if it is a harmonic effect or what. For awhile I tried to break myself of this, but repeated exposure to his music (and it does seem all his music does this) just intensified the effect. My gut reaction would be to give this 1 star; my intellect tells me this is a great production and to give it 5 stars. So I averaged my reactions. If Benjamin Britten does not make you sick, enjoy this--but if you have the same reaction, leave me a comment. Misery loves company.
Summary of Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream / Bowman, Cotrubas, Lott, Buchanan, Davies, Duesing, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera
Glyndebourne's production of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream is pure magic. Brilliantly adapted from Shakespeare's play, the opera follows the adventures of four lovers and a group of na?ve rustics who, in a wood on a moonstruck midsummer night, fall foul of Oberon and Tytania, the quarrelling king and queen of the fairies. In Hall's remarkable staging the very wood comes alive as logs and trees move and rustle, creating ambiguous silhouettes in the dark mysterious woodland, lit only by designer John Bury's wonderful rising sun and moon. Stars Felicity Lott, Ileana Cotrubas, and James Bowman.Comedy DVD Video
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