USA Premiere Composer Benjamin Britten Librettists Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten Based On the play by William Shakespeare Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 1961 Language English Creative/Crew Conductor Silvio Varviso Stage Director(s) Basil Coleman Designer Harry Horner Choreographer Ghita Hager Costumes executed by Malabar, Ltd., Toronto Costumes supervised by Maureen Heneghan Cast Cobweb James Strubing Mustardseed Tim Olson Peaseblossom Evan Schaffer Moth Philip Garay Puck Joy Coghill Oberon, King of the Fairies Russell Oberlin Tytania, Queen of the Fairies Mary Costa Lysander, in love with Hermia David Thaw Hermia, in love with Lysander Marilyn Horne Demetrius, in love with Hermia Claude Heater Helena, in love with Demetrius Marguerite Gignac Bottom, a weaver Geraint Evans Quince, a carpenter Kieth Engen Flute, a bellows-mender Herbert Handt Snug, a joiner Andrew Foldi Snout, a tinker Raymond Manton Starveling, a tailor Donald Drain Theseus, Duke of Athens Joshua Hecht Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus Margot Blum Show Dates Tue, Oct 10 1961, 8pm Thu, Oct 26 1961, 8pm Time and Place A wood near Athens Scenes (not specified) THERE WILL BE AN INTERMISSION AFTER ACTS I AND II Media Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Mary Costa (Tytania) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. David Thaw (Lysander), Marilyn Horne (Hermia) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom),Andrew Foldi (Snug) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom), Herbert Handt (Flute), Donald Drain (Starvling), Raymond Manton (Snout), Keith Engen (Quince), Andrew Foldi (Snug) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Mary Costa (Tytania), Geraint Evans (Bottom) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom), Mary Costa (Tytania) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Russell Oberlin (Oberon), Mary Costa (Tytania), Geraint Evans (Bottom) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Joy Coghill (Puck) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Joy Coghill (Puck) Credit Unknown Notes US PREMIERE / UNITED STATES PREMIERE First performance: Aldeburgh Festival, 1960. --------------------- The production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was designed for the 1961 Vancouver International Festival San Francisco Opera Boys Chorus Madi Bacon, Director Kieth Engen's first name IS correctly spelled. He changed the spelling during his career in German opera houses.
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Mary Costa (Tytania) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. David Thaw (Lysander), Marilyn Horne (Hermia) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom),Andrew Foldi (Snug) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom), Herbert Handt (Flute), Donald Drain (Starvling), Raymond Manton (Snout), Keith Engen (Quince), Andrew Foldi (Snug) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Mary Costa (Tytania), Geraint Evans (Bottom) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Geraint Evans (Bottom), Mary Costa (Tytania) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Russell Oberlin (Oberon), Mary Costa (Tytania), Geraint Evans (Bottom) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Carolyn Mason Jones/San Francisco Opera. Joy Coghill (Puck) Credit Carolyn Mason Jones
Image A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten. San Francisco Opera, 1961. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Joy Coghill (Puck) Credit Unknown