Decca: 475 6029 (475 6030--475 6039). Title from container. In the 1st work: Alfred Deller (Oberon) ; Elizabeth Harwood (Tytania) ; Stephen Terry (Puck) ; John Shirley-Quirk (Theseus) ; Helen Watts (Hippolyta) ; Peter Pears (Lysander) ; Thomas Hemsley (Demetrius) ; Josephine Veasey (Hermia) ; Heather Harper (Helena) ; Owen Brannigan (Bottom) ; Norman Lumsden (Quince) ; Kenneth Macdonald (Flute) ; addiitonal soloists ; Choirs of Downside and Emanuel Schools ; London Symphony Orchestra ; Benjamin Britten, conductor. In the 2nd work: Janet Baker (Phaedra) ; English Chamber Orchestra ; Steuart Bedford, conductor. In the 3rd work: Peter Pears (Male chorus) ; Heather Harper (Female chorus) ; John Shirley Quirk (Collatinus) ; Bryan Drake (Junius) ; Benjamin Luxon (Tarquinius) ; Janet Baker (Lucreatia) ; Elizabeth Bainbridge (Bianca) ; Jenny Hill (Lucia) ; English Chamber Orchestra ; Benjamin Britten, conductor. In the 4th work: Peter Pears (The Prologue and Quint) ; Jennifer Vyvyan (The Governess) ; David Hemmings (Miles) ; Olive Dyer (Flora) ; Joan Cross (Mrs. Grose) ; Arda Mandikian (Miss Jessel) ; English Opera Group Orchestra ; Benjamin Britten, conductor. In the 5th work: Peter Pears (Gustav) ; John Shirley-Quirk (The Traveller, et al.) ; James Bowman (voice of Apollo) ; Kenneth Bowen (Hotel porter) ; additional soloists ; English Chamber Orchestra ; Steuart Bedford, conductor. In the 6th work: Josephine Barstow (Queen Elizabeth I) ; Philip Langridge (Robert Devereux) ; Della Jones (Frances) ; Jonathan Summers (Charles Blount) ; Yvonne Kenny (Penelope) ; Alan Opie (Sir Robert Cecil) ; Richard van Allan (Sir Walter Raleigh) ; Bryn Terfel (Henry Cuffe) ; John Mark Ainsley (Master of Ceremonies) ; additional soloists ; Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera ; Monmouth School Choir ; Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor. Recorded in Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, 1966 (1st work) ; All Saints', Petersham, March 1977 (2nd work) ; The Maltings, Snape, July 1970 (3rd work) ; Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London, Jan. 1955 (4th work) ; The Maltings, Snape, April-May 1974 (5th work) ; Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Oct. 26-Nov. 6, 1992 (6th work). Compact discs. Program notes and synopses (50 pages : illustrations, ports.) in accompanying booklet.
Contents:
A midsummer night's dream : opera in three acts, op. 64 / libretto adapted from Shakespeare by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears (2:24:12) -- Phaedra : dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano and small orchestra, op. 93 / text compiled by the composer from Robert Lowell's translation of Phèdre by Racine (15:25) -- The rape of Lucretia : opera in two acts, op. 37 / libretto by Ronald Duncan ; after the play "Le Viol de Lucrèce by André Obey (1:48:21) -- The turn of the screw / an opera in a prologue and two acts, op. 54 ; libretto by Myfanwy Piper ; after the story by Henry James (1:45:09) -- Death in Venice : opera in two acts, op. 88 / libretto by Myfanwy Piper ; based on the short story by Thomas Mann (2:25:19) -- Gloriana : opera in three acts, op. 53 / libretto by William Plomer (2:28:13).
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