The Midsummer Marriage - Production details
Opera in three acts (1947-52)
150 minutes
Text by the composer
Mark, a young man of unknown parentage - tenor Jenifer, his betrothed - soprano King Fisher, Jenifer's father - baritone Bella, King Fisher's secretary - soprano Jack, Bella's boyfriend - tenor Sosostris, a clairvoyant - alto The Ancients, Priest and Priestess of the Temple - bass/mezzo soprano
Chorus of Mark's and Jenifer's friends (SATB)
Dancers attendant on the Ancients and Strephon, one of the dancers, silent roles.
Vocal score ED 10778
Libretto (English/German) ED 10778a
Study score ED 11158
Limited edition, numbered and signed by the composer ED 11158-01
First performance by Covent Garden Opera conducted by Sir John Pritchard and produced by Christopher West with choreography by John Cranko at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 27 January 1955
Strephon: Pirmin Trecu
The Ancients: Michael Langdon
Edith Coates
Mark: Richard Lewis
Jenifer: Joan Sutherland
King Fisher: Otakar Kraus
Bella: Adele Leigh
Jack: John Lanigan
A Voice: Monica Sinclair
A Girl Dancer: Julia Farron
Half-Tipsy Man: Gordon Farrall
A Man Dancing: Andrew Daniels
Sosostris: Oralia Dominguez
1968/70 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Producer: Ande Anderson
Choreography: Gillian Lynne / Alfred Rodrigues
Conductor: Colin Davis
1973/74 Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe
Producer: Barrie Gavin
Choreography: Susanne Hywell
Conductor: Arthur Grueber
1976/78/79 Welsh National Opera Company
Producer: Ian Watt Smith
Choreography: Terry Gilbert
Conductor: Richard Armstrong
1978 The State Opera of South Australia (Adelaide Festival)
Producer: Adrian Slack
Choreography: Jonathan Taylor
Conductor: Myer Fredman
1982 Stockholms Musikdramatiska Ensemble
Producer: Erik Appelgren
Conductor: Per Engstrom
1983 San Francisco Opera
Producer: John Copley
Choreography: Terry Gilbert
Conductor: David Agler
1985 English National Opera
Producer: David Poutney
Conductor: Marc Elder
1985 Opera North
Producer: Tim Albery
Choreography: Ian Spink
Conductor: David Lloyd-Jones
1986 Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden (Opera North)
1988 Scottish Opera
Producer: Tim Albery
Choreography: Ian Spink
Conductor: John Pryce-Jones
1989 Channel 4
Producer: Elijah Moshinsky
Choreography: Anthony van Laast
Conductor: David Atherton
1993 New York City Opera
Producer: Francesca Zambello
Choreography: Susan Marshall
Conductor: Christopher Keene
1996 The Royal Opera House
Producer: Graham Vick
Choreography: Ron Howell
Conductor: Bernard Haitink
1998 Bayerische Staatsoper, Muenchen
Producer: Richard Jones
Choreography: Amir Hosseinpour
Conductor: Mark Elder