A Midsummer Night's Dream (ballet)

Edwin Landseer, Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titania and Bottom, 1851

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a two-act ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Felix Mendelssohn's music to Shakespeare's play of the same name. In addition to the incidental music, Balanchine incorporated other Mendelssohn works into the ballet, including the Overtures to Athalie, Son and Stranger, and The Fair Melusine, the "String Symphony No. 9 in C minor" and The First Walpurgis Night.[1] A Midsummer Night's Dream, Balanchine's first completely original full-length ballet, premiered at New York City Ballet on 17 January 1962,[1][2] with Edward Villella in the role of Oberon, Melissa Hayden in the role of Titania, and Arthur Mitchell in the role of Puck. They were joined by Francisco Moncion in the role of Theseus- Duke of Athens.[3] The ballet employs a large children's corps de ballet.[4] Act I tells Shakespeare's familiar story of lovers and fairies while Act II presents a strictly classical dance wedding celebration. The ballet dispenses with Shakespeare's play-within-a-play finale. A Midsummer Night's Dream opened The New York City Ballet's first season at the New York State Theater in April, 1964.[1]

Casts

original

film version (1966)

NYCB revivals

2009 Spring

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 first time in rôle
  2. ↑ Jenifer Ringer replaced Wendy Whelan in the divertissement.
  3. 1 2 Troy Schumacher replaced Sean Suozzi in the rôle of Puck.

Other choreographers' interpretations

John Clifford on (The Portland Ballet)

References

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