Opera Theatre of St Louis’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream Is an Enchanted Forest of Voice, Vision and Theatrical Alchemy

Opera Theatre of St Louis’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream Is an Enchanted Forest of Voice, Vision and Theatrical Alchemy

By CB Adams

In Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ shimmering new production of Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the familiar Shakespearean tale is reborn with a rare blend of musical precision, visual poetry and theatrical wit.

Under the baton of maestro Leonard Slatkin and the direction of Tim Albery, this staging is less a retelling than a re-enchantment—an immersive journey into a world where fairies glide, lovers quarrel and rustic clowns stumble through tragedy with comic brilliance.

The production is anchored by a cast of world-class singers and actors, each bringing nuance and vitality to their roles. The creative team, led by designer Emma Kingsbury, conjures a forest that breathes and transforms while the children’s chorus and mechanicals add layers of charm and humor.

What follows is a breakdown of the production’s key contributors—principal cast, lovers, mechanicals, fairies and creatives—each of whom helps weave this dream into something unforgettable.

Puck (Matisse Carmack) lays a spell upon a sleeping Lysander (Anthony León) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

Principal Cast

The heart of Britten’s dreamscape lies in the ethereal authority of its fairy royalty. Oberon and Tytania, portrayed with vocal finesse and dramatic poise, anchor the supernatural world with a sense of grandeur and mystery. Puck, though silent in song, is a kinetic presence who threads the narrative with mischief and grace.

  • James Laing – Oberon: A commanding OTSL debut, Laing’s countertenor voice is smooth and powerful, embodying the regal and mystical presence of the fairy king.
  • Jana McIntyre – Tytania: Also making her OTSL debut, McIntyre dazzles with a silvery bel canto soprano, bringing both elegance and emotional depth to the fairy queen.
  • Matisse Carmack – Puck: In this non-singing role, Carmack is a kinetic force—quick, agile and mischievous. Her delivery of Puck’s final monologue is masterful.
Tytania (Jana McIntyre) embraces Bottom (Ben Brady) as her bemused fairies (L to R: Laura Santamaria, Veronica Siebert, Emilie Kealani, and Zoe Brooks) look on in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

The Lovers

The quartet of young lovers brings emotional volatility and romantic confusion to the forest, their entanglements rendered with vocal clarity and dramatic charm. Each performer navigates the shifting affections and magical manipulations with humor and heart, grounding the opera’s fantasy in human longing.

  • Anthony Léon – Lysander: A strong and expressive tenor, Léon brings warmth and charm to the role.
  • Jennifer Johnson Cano – Hermia: A returning OTSL favorite, Cano delivers a sterling performance with emotional nuance and vocal richness.
  • Theo Hoffman – Demetrius: A standout among the lovers, Hoffman’s powerful baritone is one of the production’s vocal highlights.
  • Teresa Parrotta – Helena: Parrotta brings humor and heart to Helena, rounding out the quartet with a vibrant performance.
Ben Brady as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

The Rude Mechanicals

Comic relief arrives in the form of the “rude mechanicals,” whose earnest attempt at theatrical tragedy becomes a riotous farce. Their scenes are a masterclass in physical comedy and ensemble timing, with Bottom’s transformation into an ass providing one of the production’s most memorable visual gags.

  • Ben Brady – Bottom: A comedic triumph, Brady is hilarious in both human and donkey form. The donkey’s head is described as a miracle of stagecraft—realistic with a moving mouth that allows Brady’s voice to project clearly and powerfully.
  • Christian Sanders – Thisbe: Sanders delights with a playful and endearing portrayal of Thisbe.
  • Robert Mellon, Dylan Gregg, Adam Partridge, Sam Krausz – Mechanicals Ensemble: This troupe delivers classic low-comic charm, wringing every laugh from their vaudevillian rehearsal scenes.
Tytania (Jana McIntyre) embraces Bottom (Ben Brady) as her bemused fairies (L to R: Laura Santamaria, Veronica Siebert, Emilie Kealani, and Zoe Brooks) look on in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

The Fairies & Children’s Chorus

The enchanted forest is populated by a chorus of fairy sprites, led by four charming attendants. Their presence adds a layer of visual and vocal delicacy, transforming the stage into a living, breathing dreamscape. The children’s chorus, under expert direction, brings both innocence and eerie beauty to the production.

  • Emily Kealani – Cobweb
  • Veronica Siebert – Mustardseed
  • Laura Santamaria – Peaseblossom
  • Zoe Brooks – Moth: These young performers lead the children’s chorus with grace and whimsy, adding a magical layer to the production.
  • St. Louis Children’s Choruses – Fairy Sprites: A visual and vocal delight, these young singers enhance the enchanted forest with charm and precision.
Thisbe (Christian Sanders) and Pyramus (Ben Brady) speak through the Wall (Sam Krausz) as Theseus (Jose Olivares) and Hippolyta (Michelle Mariposa) watch their play in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

Creative Team

Behind the scenes, a visionary creative team shapes the production’s aesthetic and emotional tone. From the conductor’s podium to the costume shop, each contributor brings a distinct artistry that elevates the opera’s dreamlike world. Their collaboration results in a production that is as visually arresting as it is musically rich.

  • Tim Albery – Stage Director: Albery’s minimalist Shakespearean-inspired staging is both magical and emotionally resonant.
  • Emma Kingsbury – Scenic & Costume Designer: Her designs are exquisite with transformative sets and timeless costumes that elevate the production’s visual storytelling.
  • Krystal Balleza & Will Vicari – Wig & Makeup Designers: Their work is brilliant, especially in crafting the ethereal looks of the fairy realm.
  • Seán Curran – Choreographer: Curran’s choreography adds fluidity and charm, enhancing the dreamlike atmosphere.
  • Leonard Slatkin – Conductor: A celebrated return to OTSL, Slatkin leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with finesse, bringing Britten’s haunting score to life.
  • Andrew Whitfield – Chorus Master: His direction of the children’s chorus is superb, contributing to some of the production’s most enchanting moments.
Jose Olivares as Duke Theseus and Michelle Mariposa as Queen Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

Cover Photo: Oberon (James Laing), Tytania (Jana McIntyre), and the fairies bless the slumbering household at the end of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo © Eric Woolsey

‘Blonde’: Leering, Lascivious Look at Marilyn Monroe as American Tragedy

‘Blonde’: Leering, Lascivious Look at Marilyn Monroe as American Tragedy

By Lynn Venhaus
Based on the 2000 fictional novel by Joyce Carol Oates, “Blonde” is a deeply flawed semi-biopic that blurs fantasy and reality regarding the life of movie star Marilyn Monroe. The reality is an alarming American tragedy, and the fiction is a relentlessly disturbing film.

The film “Blonde” reimagines the life of the Hollywood legend, from her traumatic childhood as Norma Jeane Baker, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglement. Writer-director Andrew Dominik blurs the lines of fact and fiction, exploring the difference between her public and private self

With its NC-17 rating and shocking graphic sexual content, “Blonde” is a polarizing, controversial take on one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons. Norma Jeane deserved better in life, and a much better  representation in a film after her death.

Not that Ana de Armas doesn’t impress in a remarkable transformation as the stunningly gorgeous, breathy-voiced actress whose traumatic childhood forever damaged her psyche. She has the look, the voice, and the demeanor down pat in her recreation, but regrettably, spends a huge chunk of the film in tears.

She wears those memorable outfits well, and costume designer Jennifer Johnson captures every look in meticulous detail.

With such copious nudity and its 2-hour, 46-minute runtime, at least a half-hour of bare breasts could have been cut. Not that more incisive editing would have saved the film, but it sure would have helped.

Writer-director Andrew Dominik worked on bringing this adaptation to the screen for over 10 years. The source material is already suspect anyway because it’s filmed as a dreamy fantasy – so unless you know the factual details of Marilyn’s life, you will be adrift. What’s fake and what really happened? You’ll have to find that out on your own.

For instance, her first husband, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, is not referred to by name in the credits, only “Ex-Athlete.” To be fair, Bobby Cannavale is a fine embodiment of the slugger.

Bobby Cannavale and Ana de Armas

As her second husband Arthur Miller, Adrien Brody fares better and has the best scene when they first talk. It’s well-established that Miller was captivated by her enthusiasm for ‘the work,’ and her knowledge of literature and characters. She had an intuitive sense of the material, but sadly, wasn’t allowed to realize her great potential.

Growing up with a schizophrenic mother (a terrifying performance by Julianne Nicholson), Norma Jeane was sent to an orphanage. She endured so much hardship that we see why she had massive daddy issues and just wanted to be loved. Young actress Lily Fisher is gut-wrenching as the young Norma Jeane.

Starting out as a model, Monroe transitioned to film – her first role was in the Oscar-winning “All About Eve” as the wicked George Sanders’ date. The studio system’s casting couch is nothing new, but the way Marilyn was brutalized by men in power is upsetting. Treated like a boy-toy and nothing more than a sexual plaything is quite unsettling, and when the film dissolves into porn-like scenes with her lascivious pals Charlie Chaplin Jr. (Xavier Samuel) and Edgar G. Robinson Jr. (Garret Dillahunt), it’s squirm-time.

(I’m wondering how long it will take Netflix viewers to turn off the film after those graphic sexual encounters take place). The sleazier things, especially the lewd JFK scene, are painful..

The fantasy aspect is reason for concern, and after revealing she has a studio-ordered abortion, then she loses a baby through miscarriage, later. Did we need a voice and image of the fetuses?

Dominik’s overly melodramatic and turgid script, which he describes as an avalanche of images and events, is muddled and messy, and does not serve the actress well. No one is depicted in a good light. (Although cinematographer Chayse Irvin’s work with stark black and white vs. scenes of technicolor is interesting).

The movie shows only fleeting snippets of joy, and yes, her public and private images are contrasted in a very uncomfortable way. — lecherous and leery distortions.

“Blonde” is a confusing, perturbing, grim film that does the tragic star a disservice and winds up more of a nightmare because of its fever dream elements. I will never watch this again, and I can’t unsee things I wish I could.

“Blonde” is a 2022 drama-fantasy written and directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel, Garret Dillahunt, Julianne Nicholson, and Lily Fisher.
It is rated NC-17 for some sexual content and the runtime is 2 hours, 46 minutes.
It streams on Netflix beginning Sept. 28, and is in selected theaters Sept. 23 (but not in St. Louis). Lynn’s Grade: D.