Randall Scotting &Erin Morley as Oberon & Tytania

To begin its contribution to the Juilliard School’s centennial celebration, the Juilliard Opera Center (JOC) presented a production of Benjamin Britten’s 1960 opera, after William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with libretto by Britten and his life partner Peter Pears. Although the effort proved highly professional throughout, it was, ultimately the over-the-top third act play-within-the-play, the rustics’ mad Pyramus and Thisbe, which made the evening. The first night’s hearing, on November 16, is considered here.

David Atherton led the Juilliard Theater Orchestra and together they realized the score’s glistening musical glides, slides and slithers, which create the Dream’s wondrous and ethereal world, and the bel canto opera parody that caps it.

Eve Shapiro guided the large ensemble, which was headed by clear-voiced guest countertenor Randall Scotting—could Juilliard field no up-and-coming male soprano of its own?—as Oberon, King of the Fairies, and highly promising coloratura soprano Erin Morley as Tytania, his Queen. Comprising the strong-voiced quartet of Athenian lovers were tenor Jeremy Little as Lysander, soprano Faith Sherman as Hermia, baritone Matthew Worth as Demetrius, and mezzo-soprano Ariana Wyatt as Helena, who joined voices for an exquisite quartet, “And I have found Demetrius, like a jewel,” when they awakened in the forest.

Heading the sextet of rustics, Matt Boehler, as Bottom, was aptly over eager and overbearing when David Salsbery Fry’s Quince’s “merry and tragical,” “tedious and brief” play was being cast; wore a realistic-looking ass’s head and danced some fittingly foolish steps when “translated” and made a marvelous buffo knight in collection-of-junk armor, Pyramus, in the craftsmen’s theatrical offering. Impressive here were high tenors Timothy Fallon, as Flute, a sight cavorting in Thisbe’s travesti finery over his workman’s gear, and Jeffrey Behrens, as Snout, who portrayed the wall separating the ill-starred lovers. Vivid, too, were Daniel Billings, as Starveling and the moon, and David Keck, as slow Snug and the lion, with an extravagantly decorated wicker basket for a mane.

Ronnita Nicole Miller made an impression in her brief appearance as Amazon Queen Hippolyta, delivering wry commentary on Pyramus in round mezzo-soprano tone. Sidney Outlaw played her spouse, Duke Theseus.

Ronnita Nicole Miller & Sidney Outlaw as Hippolyta & Theseus

Costumer Olivera Gajic put the immortals and royals in metallic fabrics; the Athenians in contemporary summer garb and, later, dress attire; and the rustics in work clothes. Feathers adorned costumes worn by the fairy monarchs and the Queen’s attendant fairies (Jeanette Vecchione, Tammy Coil, Ainsley Soutiere, and Jennifer Sheehan). Acrobatic Puck (Matthew Patrick Morris) sported a black leathery, animal look and was clearly Oberon’s pet, to be patted when in favor and cuffed when he errs.

Tytania slept on a plexiglass bed covered with a flowery throw and hoisted aloft, in designer Chris Barreca’s wooden pole and mylar forest, a locale for the action which, unfortunately, suggested cold efficiency rather than intimacy and mystery.

Among the dozens of Juilliard centennial commissions is composer Lowell Liebermann and poet and librettist J.D. McClatchy’s Miss Lonelyhearts, after Nathanael West’s novella. JOC gives the opera’s world premiere performances on April 26, 28 and 30.

Juilliard School 155 West 65^th Street

November 16 & 18 at 8 p.m. & 20 at 2 p.m.

Tickets $20 at box office