Special offer. Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream
James Bowman (Oberon), Lillian Watson (Tytania), John Graham-Hall (Lysander), Henry Herford (Demetrius), Della Jones (Hermia), Jill Gomez (Helena), Norman Bailey (Theseus), Penelope Walker (Hippolyta)
City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
Special offer. Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream
James Bowman (Oberon), Lillian Watson (Tytania), John Graham-Hall (Lysander), Henry Herford (Demetrius), Della Jones (Hermia), Jill Gomez (Helena), Norman Bailey (Theseus), Penelope Walker (Hippolyta)
City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
Purchase product
this sumptuous Abbey Road recording features a strong cast
About
The mid-price collection presents some of the most important and admired recordings of the EMI Classics and Virgin Classics catalogue which make EMI - The Home of Opera.
Bonus Disc contains synopsis and libretto with translation.
Contents and tracklist
- James Bowman (countertenor), Della Jones (mezzo-soprano), Henry Herford (baritone), Adrian Thompson (tenor), Dexter Fletcher (narrator), Lilian Watson (soprano), John Graham-Hall (tenor), Andrew Gallacher (bass), Jill Gomez (soprano), Donald Maxwell (baritone), Richard Suart (bass), Norman Bailey (baritone), Robert Horn (tenor), Penelope Walker (mezzo-soprano), Roger Bryson (baritone)
- Trinity Boys' Choir, City of London Sinfonia
- Richard Hickox
- Recorded: 1990-11-19
- Recording Venue: 13-16 & 18-19 November 1990 / No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
A Midsummer Night's Dream Op. 64, Act One, Introduction: Over hill, over dale (Fairies / Puck)
Track length4:12
Puppet? Why, so? Ay, that way goes the game (Hermia / Helena / Lysander / Demetrius)
Track length3:41
A Midsummer Night's Dream Op. 64, ACT THREE, Introduction: My gentle Robin, see'st thou this sweet sight? (Oberon / Tytania / Puck)
Track length8:07
Have you sent to Bottom's house? (Quince / Starveling / Flute / Snout / Snug / Bottom)
Track length5:13
Awards and reviews
July 2011
this sumptuous Abbey Road recording features a strong cast
Hickox and his orchestra bring out the genius of the scoring, melody and harmony, at once so spare and so lush and, literally, so magical.
2010 edition
With a chamber orchestra rather than the full LSO, the scale is more intimate...What makes the set indispensable is that it includes a brief 90-second sequence, intensely poetic, in the scene of the lovers' awakening in Act III, where Britten's own recording observes a cut as made in the original Aldeburgh staging.
