A Midsummer Night's Dream - Nicholas Tamagna

This is the end of the opening scene: Oberon, King of the fairies, beseeches his mignon Puck to retrieve a special herb that will allow Oberon to weave his malicious spell on Tytania and mess with the affections of the mortals that have infiltrated Oberon's realm in the forest. This is a selection from Benjamin Britten's opera adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Midsummer
• Britten
• Oberon
• Countertenor
• Nicholas Tamagna
• New York

[lenaann7]

Hi, Nicholas! I'm just writing to inform you that I am doing a presentation on the use of MUSIC in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. While I spent much time researching the TEXT of music in the play, I also wanted to search for musical compositions of the play itself. I found Mendelssohn, and Britten...then I found you! YAY! Just to let you know my classmates will be listening to this clip in my presentation tomorrow :0) I'm spreading the beauty of your voice.

[tamagna1982]

I am so honored to be performing for your class... please spread the word about countertenors and our art form... we need it. That is so marvelously wonderful! Thank you for your comments and support, it is truly appreciated!

[tamagna1982]

Thouest remember the herb I shewed thee once.

The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid

will make or man or woman madly dote

upon the next live creature that it sees

Be it on lion, bear, or wolf or bull

on meddling monkey or busy ape

fetch me this herb and be thou here again ere the leviathan can swim a league

Puck: I'll put a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes.

Oberon: having once this juice I'll watch Tytania when she is asleep and drop the liquor of it in her eyes. and ere I take

[mhhem]

Excellent! Can you provide the lyrics? Thanks.

[tamagna1982]

charm from off her sight. I'll make her render up her page to me....

[mradaChris]

Yes I agree, nicely done. Also this is a good example of using the diaphragm for singing.

[deinfrank]

How rare is it to see a shirtless example of vocal perfection ;)

[lenaann7]

@lenaann7 Oh yes, for sure! I got an 'A' on my presentation!! I'm sure your performance helped me out with that. I had fun explaining what a countertenor is to my class... I'm pretty sure they enjoyed my presentation..thank you again.. if you ever come to HAWAII let me know! I'd love to hear you in person!

[rasamalai108]

Thanks for the lyrics!!! this was the first opera I ever saw, James Bowman was playing the role of Oberon. I've loved counter-tenor's voice and opera ever since! :) I was 12 years old back then.

[mhhem]

Great! Thanks a lot!