A Midsummer Night's Dream

This in-depth guide explores Benjamin Britten’s operatic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, his seventh major opera, which premiered in 1960. Working alongside his partner, tenor Peter Pears, Britten transformed Shakespeare’s beloved comedy into a haunting and lyrical operatic experience—retaining much of the original text while streamlining the structure for the stage.

The volume features newly commissioned essays that illuminate the opera’s distinctive creation process, including insights from Britten’s own letters. Readers will discover how Britten crafted an otherworldly musical language to match the play’s enchanted themes, and how he responded to various productions of the opera during his lifetime. This guide also situates the work within Britten’s broader body of compositions, highlighting its innovation and enduring impact.

Perfect for musicians, scholars, and opera lovers alike, this guide offers a vivid portrait of how one of the 20th century’s greatest composers reimagined Shakespeare’s magic for a modern audience.