London Acclaim For New Britten Opera

Press, Volume C, Issue 29454, 4 March 1961, Page 7

London Acclaim For New Britten Opera

[Bi/ the London Correspondent of "The Press’’]

February 3. Benjamin Britten's new opera “A Midsummer Night's Dream” was welcomed to London last evening by an audience of 2000 at the Royal Opera House and this morning by the London critics who declared it a triumphant success.

Mr Britten was at home with influenza while a distinguished audience applauded his work. “A brilliant new production.” said “The Times,” "that pronounced a firm blessing on the collaboration of Shakespeare and Britten. It looks beautiful and the music sounded abundantly beautiful under direction of Mr George Solti ”

Before the curtain went up there was a long ovation for Mr Solti who appeared as conductor for the first time since his appointment as musical director of the Opera House last September. His appointment does not take year but the care and brilliance with which he interpreted this preliminary sample of his work won hearty critical approval. “Masterly Direction*'

"His direction of this opera is masterly.’* said Andrew Porter in the "Financial Times." "The orchestral playing is superb. There is magic in the sound, from those first warm sighs which portray the midsummer forest." In his own comment on the new production, Mr Solti has warmly praised “A Midsummer Night’s Dream" as ‘'the most important opera written in the last 25 years.” Mr Britten wrote the opera for last year’s festival in his own village of Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast. It was produced in the little Jubilee Hall there by John Cranko. Now. the beautiful settings by John Piper have been enlarged. Mr Britten has rescored the chamber opera for a big orchestra, and Sir John Gielgud, working for the second time at Covent Garden.

prepared the new production for the large stage. The cast was headed by Join Carlyle, Geraint Evans' and Russell Oberlin, the American counter-tenor. John Piper's costumes and settings, and the skilful lighting superbly matched the enchantment of the music.

The setting for the second act. reported “The Times.’’ “where the bank of wild thyme slopes gently down to a dell where rustics may rehearse and lovers fall asleep, is of breathtaking loveliness.’’ Mr Solti (pronounced ‘Sholty’) arrives at the Royal Opera House at a time when Covent Garden, without the very much more liberal State subsidies enjoyed by Continental companies, is becoming established as one of the world’s great opera centres. Mr Solti comes 'rom Hungary. Since 1945 he has been musical director of the Munich Opera and the Opera at Frankfurt on Main. His recent recordings of Wagner operas have won him a name as a conductor of great engergy and drive and his thoroughness as a conductor of great energy and restless autocratic direction have sometimes led to tension and discord among singers and orchestras. But when he conducted the Covent Garden orchestra more than a year ago it is said to have liked him immediately And Mr Solti likes English musicians and singers for the trust they place in a conductor.