Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Huntington

Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Center Stage series will continue its spring season with Benjamin Britten’s opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream, adapted from William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy. Performances will run from April 18 through 21 at The Huntington Theatre.

Britten and Peter Pears adapted this opera’s libretto from Shakespeare’s comedic play, telling its story of dreams and desires. A quartet of young lovers find themselves lost in the magical woods, a land ruled by the fairies. Puck, the mischievous fairy, makes two men fall in love with the same woman. The lovers explore the forest, pursuing each other while Puck helps his master, Oberon, play a trick on the fairy queen, Titania.

Associate Professor Andrew Bisantz will conduct the production, with stage direction from Associate Professor David Gately. Their unique interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will transform the recently renovated Huntington Theatre Company stage into a stylized, steampunk-themed world—putting an unexpected spin on the magical forest setting of Shakespeare’s classic story. 

“We are all thrilled to present Benjamin Britten’s masterful operatic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the storied Huntington Theater this April,” said Bisantz. “I have a deep familiarity with and love of Britten’s operas, particularly this one, and it’s been a joy to see our talented students discover and embrace the score and Shakespeare’s text. Britten’s adaptation is very faithful to the original, not just in its fidelity to the text, but in its uncanny ability to capture the play’s magical atmosphere in the music. The students and faculty alike are beyond excited to bring this work to Boston audiences at such a magnificent venue.” 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be presented at The Huntington Theatre Company, located at 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, at 7:30 p.m. from Thursday, April 18 through Saturday, April 20 and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 21. Tickets are $25 to $30 for regular seating. Learn more and purchase tickets here.