Benjamin Britten

True to form, director Andrei Serban hasn't stopped at the audience's comfort zone in his choices for Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Swords and flowers double as obvious phallic symbols, the two pairs of lovers race around in Act II wearing anatomically correct aprons, and Titania is shown wallowing as water is poured into her mouth in one of the many video projections. It's all a bit much, but a bit much is what you get with Serban. Thing is, most of it makes dramatic sense, too.

Alexander Platt fastidiously leads this complex score, guiding the young singers through its dense rhythms extraordinarily well. In the dress rehearsal, Tobias Cole was a pure-voiced Oberon and soprano Danielle de Niese a vocally solid, gorgeous Titania. The Rustics were led by Kevin Burdette as Bottom, played with humor as broad as a barn. Jason Griffin's Puck, in this speaking-only role, stood out for never letting the audience's attention wander from him. This actor—as thin as a heroin addict and dressed like one—bounces, rolls and runs across the stage effortlessly.

As the paired lovers, Patrick Miller (Lysander) and Allyson McHardy (Hermia), and Ian Greenlaw (Demetrius) and Laura Whalen (Helena) were vocally well-matched, and game for Serban's tricks. The orchestra did a remarkable job, especially Ross Beacraft, with his fiendish trumpet part.

It's another win for Chicago Opera Theater, despite some heavy-handed directing. Nevertheless, Platt's leadership is worth the price of admission.—Marc Geelhoed

Dream continues Thursday 26 and Saturday 28 at the Harris Theater.