Monday 25, Wednesday 27 February, Friday 1, Monday 4 March, 7pm Silk Street Theatre A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten Dominic Wheeler conductor Martin Lloyd-Evans director Ruari Murchison designer Mark Jonathan lighting designer Guildhall School of Music & Drama Guildhall School Movement Founded in 1880 by the Opera Course and Dance City of London Corporation Victoria Newlyn Head of Opera Caitlin Fretwell Chairman of the Board of Governors Studies Walsh Vivienne Littlechild Dominic Wheeler Combat Principal Resident Producer Jonathan Leverett Lynne Williams Martin Lloyd-Evans Language Coaches Vice-Principal and Director of Music Coaches Emma Abbate Jonathan Vaughan Lionel Friend Florence Daguerre Alex Ingram de Hureaux Anthony Legge Matteo Dalle Fratte Please visit our website at gsmd.ac.uk (guest) Aurelia Jonvaux Michael Lloyd Johanna Mayr Elizabeth Marcus Norbert Meyn Linnhe Robertson Emanuele Moris Peter Robinson Lada Valešova Stephen Rose Elizabeth Rowe Opera Department Susanna Stranders Manager Jonathan Papp (guest) Steven Gietzen Drama Guildhall School Martin Lloyd-Evans Vocal Studies Victoria Newlyn Department Simon Cole Head of Vocal Studies Armin Zanner Deputy Head of The Guildhall School Vocal Studies is part of Culture Mile: culturemile.london Samantha Malk The Guildhall School is provided by the City of London Corporation as part of its contribution to the cultural life of London and the nation A Midsummer Night’s Dream Music by Benjamin Britten Libretto adapted from Shakespeare by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears Dominic Wheeler conductor Martin Lloyd-Evans director Ruari Murchison designer Mark Jonathan lighting designer Victoria Newlyn movement director Karl Dixon video designer Stephen Higgins language coach 25 & 27 February, 1 & 4 March, 2019 Silk Street Theatre #MSND These performances are given by permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited Characters (in order of singing) Oberon Flute Collin Shay Robert Lewis Tytania Snout Madison Nonoa (25 Feb & 1 March) Damian Arnold Zoe Drummond (27 Feb & 4 March) Starveling Helena Andrew Hamilton (25 Feb & 1 March) Samantha Clarke (25 Feb & 1 March) Matthew Palmer (27 Feb & 4 March) Alexandra Lowe (27 Feb & 4 March) Quince Hermia William Thomas Lucy McAuley (25 Feb & 1 March) Snug Carmen Artaza (27 Feb & 4 March) Tom Mole Lysander Puck Frederick Jones (25 Feb & 1 March) William Sharma (25 Feb & 1 March) Filipe Manu (27 Feb & 4 March) Matthew Dixon (27 Feb & 4 March) Demetrius Cobweb Seán Boylan (25 Feb & 1 March) Regina Freire Benson Wilson (27 Feb & 4 March) Moth Bottom Esther Mallett Sam Carl (25 Feb & 1 March) Christian Valle (27 Feb & 4 March) Peaseblossom Olivia Boen Theseus Christian Valle (25 Feb & 1 March) Mustardseed Sam Carl (27 Feb & 4 March) Irene Hoogveld Hippolyta Carmen Artaza (25 Feb & 1 March) Lucy McAuley (27 Feb & 4 March) Synopsis Act One juice to the wrong lover’s eyes. Meanwhile Demetrius, still pestered by Helena, It is night. Oberon and Tytania, King and abandons her to the dangers of the woods Queen of fairyland, are arguing. Their at night. Alone and in despair, she stumbles dispute over the ‘ownership’ of a boy has across the sleeping Lysander and wakes caused the natural world to dissolve into him. Immediately the power of the magic chaos. Tytania leads the fairies to safety, juice takes effect, and he is seized by an but Oberon vows revenge. He orders Puck overwhelming passion for her. Thinking he to fetch a flower whose magic juice, when is making fun of her, she runs off in a fury, applied to sleeping eyelids, will cause the hotly pursued by the love-struck Lysander. waking victim to fall madly in love with Hermia wakes from a terrible dream to find the first thing seen. herself alone. Hermia, distraught because her father is Elsewhere in the woods, the fairies help citing ancient law to force her to marry their mistress Tytania to sleep. Oberon steals Demetrius, has run away from Athens with in to put the love-juice on her eyes. her true love, Lysander. He suggests they elope and throw themselves on the mercy Act Two of his aunt. Hermia agrees, and the couple, having sworn undying commitment to each The rustics rehearse their play. Puck chances other, run deeper into the woods. across them and, sensing an opportunity to win Oberon’s favour, transforms Bottom Demetrius charges in, pursued by Helena, into an ass. The men run off terrified while who is hopelessly in love with him despite Puck ensures that the sleeping Tytania will, his vicious rejection of her. He runs off into on waking, see Bottom. As Puck hoped, the woods in an attempt to find Hermia, she falls helplessly in love with the ass and followed by the hapless Helena. Oberon, orders the fairies to treat Bottom as royalty. touched by her passion, orders Puck to seek After enjoying some music, the new lovers out Demetrius and place the juice of the retire to bed. magic flower on his eyes so that he will fall in love with Helena. Oberon’s delight at Puck’s mischief turns to anger when he sees that Puck A group of men, inspired by the has mistaken Lysander for Demetrius. opportunity to perform at the coming He attempts to rectify the situation by wedding of Duke Theseus and Hippolyta, streaking magic juice on the eyes of the meet in the woods for a secret rehearsal. sleeping Demetrius. After some argument over casting, the parts are handed out, and they agree to meet In trying to escape from the infatuated again later that night. Lysander, Helena wakes up Demetrius. The flower’s potion takes effect, and he falls for Lysander and Hermia are lost. Exhausted, her instantly. The chaos that ensues as both they lie down to sleep. Puck, mistaking men fight over Helena is only compounded Lysander for Demetrius, applies the magic when Hermia appears, who is as shocked by Lysander’s love Act Three for Helena as she is by her former friend’s accusations. Oberon’s wrath has been placated, and he liberates Tytania from the spell, instructing Oberon is furious at Puck’s mistake and Puck to remove the ass’s head from Bottom. gives him an antidote for Lysander. Puck As dawn breaks, the four lovers wake up, separates the quarrelling lovers and, as they with Lysander’s love for Hermia restored, sleep, he applies the cure to Lysander’s eyes. but Demetrius still in love with Helena. The rustics are mourning Bottom’s fate when he appears, restored to human form. Their delight is redoubled when they discover that their play has been chosen to be presented at Duke Theseus’ wedding celebrations. The four lovers seek Theseus’ blessing on their newfound relationships, and all three couples sit to watch the rustics’ play, the story of Pyramus and Thisby. As the chimes toll midnight, the entertainment is brought to a close, and the couples go to bed. It is ‘fairy time’, and Oberon and Tytania, now in harmonious accord, bless the bonds of mortal love. Production Team Opera Department Stage Management Scenic Art Costume students and Fellows Stage Manager Scenic Art Costume Supervisor Assistant Conductor/ Meg Carey Co-ordinator Lydia Comer Chorus Master Anna Metcalfe Narroway Deputy Stage Ashley Beauchamp Manager Assistant Scenic Artist Costume Assistants Assistant Director Lauren Tobin Aster Meerding Jess Troy Adam Torrance Grace Wines Hope Marshall Assistant Stage Tara Boland Repetiteurs Managers Sound Alice Dearman Alina Sorokina Eli Banfield Poppy Harnett Jack Wong Sophie Cooper Production Sound Helen McFarlane Luke Mason Engineer Anna Withington Production Arts Maxim Gamble Stage Crew Naomi Wright students William Darby Video Addison Neel Additional Staff Production Chloe Jones Associate Video and Technical Hair & Makeup Samantha Liquorish Designer Management Supervisors Laura Smith Liam Strong Gemma Tyler Production Manager Adam Woodhouse Debbie Purkiss Bethan Senior Lighting Construction Language Coach Technical Manager Production Stephen Higgins Danielle Utley Construction Electrician Manager Jonas Prawer Production Production Assistants Marcus Lim Photographer Matt Dean Lighting Clive Barda Jamie Webb Assistant Carpenters Programmers Peter Lawrence Matt Hockley Carter Gardenier Nathan Sparrow A listing of CVs for Guildhall Props School Final Year Props Co-ordinator Production Arts Isabel Nellie students may be Walters viewed on the School’s website: Assistant Prop Makers gsmd.ac.uk/ Pippa Higham finalyearpa Tabitha Streater Chorus and Orchestra Soprano Violin 1 Double bass Harp Inês Reis Greta Papa Cole Morrison Aideen McHugh Sophie Heywood Christoforos Nick Vegas Caroline Breman Inguna Morozova Karathanasis Tom Morgan Alexandra Pouta Dan-Iulian Drutac Harpsichord / Rachel Roper Stefano Zompi Flute Celeste Vladyslava Elena Pavoncello Susanna Bailey Alina Sorokina Yakovenko Claudia Gallardo Fiona Sweeney Jack Wong Uriarte Mezzo-soprano Matthew Sach-Keen Piccolo Off-stage horns Clover Kayne Violin 2 Fiona Sweeney Elizabeth Baumberg Anna Luigi Zachary Hayward Danielle Mahailet Olivia Danielewicz Oboe / Cor anglais Samuel Staples Tenor Tilman Fleig Rees Webster Ella Fox Mark Christian Zora Orfgen Clarinet Bautista Orchestra manager Merily Leotoots William Rennie Sam Gillespie Marta Raczka Jim Dean Isha Crichlow Bass-baritone Viola Orchestra stage Bassoon Benjamin Reason manager Ilaria Faleschini Daniel Plant Aleksandra Lipke Bill Bannerman Jeremy Tonelli-Sippel Horn Michaela Bartosova Orchestra librarian Marta Tarsa Paul Coll Tulloch Anthony Wilson Laura Del Pozo Julián Millie Lihoreau Cello Trumpet Names and seating correct at time of Louis Baily Thomas Kearsey going to press