Leading the cast, British countertenor Tim Mead reprises the “seductive and commanding” (The Guardian) portrayal of Oberon with which he wowed audiences at Glyndebourne. Opposite him, American soprano Anna Christy, whose “radiantly sung” Tytania at Lyric Opera of Chicago showed her to be “completely at home in the ethereal stratosphere of Britten’s coloratura writing” (Chicago Tribune), revisits her interpretation of the fairy queen. Best-known as Syrio Forel in HBO TV’s Game of Thrones, English actor Miltos Yerolemou makes for “a Puck like no other you have ever seen, … who keeps on messing up and stealing the show” (Telegraph, UK); as Bachtrack reported, after seeing him play the mischievous sprite in Aix-en-Provence,   

“As Puck, Miltos Yerolemou has it all: a scorching twinkle in his eye, the richest of speaking voices and fearless tumbling skills as befit his background at the Jacques Lecoq School. He’s been Carsen’s Puck of choice since 2008 and he’s the best yet.” 

What critics said about Festival O18 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows on the heels of Festival O18, which inspired a chorus of approval in the national press.   

About O18: 

“Opera Philadelphia really can claim to offer something for everyone.” – Washington Post 

About Sky on Swings (world premiere): 

“Composer Lembit Beecher and librettist Hannah Moscovitch have created a shattering musical and theatrical evocation of what it feels like to have Alzheimer’s disease. This was opera as real life." Marietta Simpson and Frederica von Stade gave “a tour-de-force duo performance.” – Wall Street Journal 

“Given the brutal subject matter, the opera stays remarkably agile, avoiding sentimentality even as it embraces frank sentiment. … The two leading ladies … sing with sensitivity and grace.” – The New York Times 

About Ne Quittez Pas (a site-specific new reimagining of La voix humaine): 

“There’s nobility … in the soprano Patricia Racette’s startlingly exposed yet consummately artful interpretation of Poulenc’s monodrama.” – The New York Times 

About Lucia di Lammermoor (new production): 

“Laurent Pelly’s searing staging, produced with the Vienna State Opera, crisply played and superbly cast, showed that a fogy can burn with as much – if not more – fire as something fresh. … This was a Lucia to be proud of.” – The New York Times 

In the title role, Brenda Rae was “incandescent, creating a three-dimensional character whose fluid coloratura mirrored the passionate meanderings of her mind.” – Washington Post 

About Glass Handel (world premiere): 

“Glass Handel [is] a unique spectacle for which magnetic countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo provided both accomplished vocal muscle and aesthetic savvy. … The juxtaposition of the Baroque and minimalist masters … seemed fully justified, the elements of repetition with decorative variants knitting the program together and the linguistic contrast intensified by the countertenor’s keen, expressive diction.” – Opera News 

“Glass Handel … [was] a pure, joyous spectacle showing a host of people at the top of their games. … The result was an hour of pure entertainment … And it was musically excellent, making a strong case for Philip Glass as Handel’s dramatic equal.” – Washington Post 

About Opera Philadelphia 

Opera Philadelphia is committed to embracing innovation and developing opera for the 21st century. Described as “the very model of a modern opera company” (Washington Post), Opera Philadelphia was the only American finalist for the 2016 International Opera Award for Best Opera Company. For more information, visit operaphila.org.