This year, Cambridge University Opera Society (CUOS) perform A Midsummer Night's Dream, an opera by Benjamin Britten which is an adaptation of Shakespeare's famous fantasy-comedy play. Originally written as a chamber opera, Britten’s opera has a unique musical style and composition, hence the audience enjoyed four distinct musical parts embodying the Mechanicals, the Lovers, Oberon and Titania and her fairies groups. 

This ambitious contemporary production was directed by George Kan who chose to place the action of this Shakespearean opera in a modern urban setting, as opposed to traditional woodland setting of fairies and magic. However, I felt that the magical elements of Shakespeare’s original setting were preserved by specific elements of music (performed by the Chorus of Fairies) that were associated with magical and fantasy creatures. Each time the Chorus of Fairies appeared on stage we heard music filled with sounds of harps and flutes. This was a contrast to the music that we heard with the appearance of the Mechanicals on stage, which was filled with darker elements, stressed by trumpets.

The production was abundant in romance, intermingled with a great deal of humour and magical transformations delivered by over 20 cast members. At times I felt challenged by the rather complex story plot which involved such an extensive cast and featured a large number of affairs evolving on stage. However, I appreciated the excellent acting and singing displayed on stage. The opera involved a number of memorable moments such as the magical transformation of Bottom’s head (Theodore Platt) into that of a donkey by Puck (Joe Pitts). Puck was very charismatic on stage, often stealing the spotlight, playful and cheeky as he uses magic to trick the Lovers into falling in love with one-another. The two pairs of Lovers were cast fantastically and sung well; Hermia (Olivia Bell) and Lysander (Michael Bell) and Helena (Olivia Brett) and Demetrius (Stephen Whitford).

The set was designed by Georgie Hunt, and was minimalistic. It skilfully imitated the newly built and dimly lit urban setting chosen particularly for this production. The lighting designer Iain Harvey helped to demonstrate the timescale of the action, which takes place at late evening, then at night and finally at dawn.

I greatly enjoyed the selection of costumes designed by Agnes Cameron. The Chorus of Fairies wore modern high-fashion dresses with high heels of darker and mid-tone colours. A group of Fairies were presented perfectly on stage and I felt enchanted each time they appeared. The King of the Fairies, Oberon (Hamish McLaren), wore a selection of black leather pants and a long leather jacket with black coloured lips stressing his rebellious and dark characterisation. I felt his presence on stage was really captivating. I also enjoyed the Queen of Fairies, Titania (Rosalind Dobson) who wore white, bringing a total contrast to Oberon and illustrating that the pair are polar opposites, but also complement each other.

The end of the opera was marked by an interesting and funny dance performed by all of the cast members, a perfect end to a cheerful and engaging production.