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Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy ; Choreography by George Balanchine, after William Shakespeare "A Midsummer Night’s Dream"
Numerous choreographers have delved into Shakespeare to find dramatic material for their ballets, beginning with Jean-Georges Noverre, an ardent defender of the “action ballet” and Marius Petipa, who was the first to use Mendelssohn’s stage music. George Balanchine, who also loved the score, would prove no exception. In 1962 he created his version of Shakespeare’s comedy for New York City Ballet. Faithful to the Bard’s vocabulary whilst adding a subtle touch of pantomime, he portrays a complex love story in two acts and six scenes. Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, become caught up in a domestic quarrel between the king of the elves and the queen of the fairies which results in the intervention of the mischievous Puck and his magic potion along with a troupe of amateur actors. The denouement is celebrated in the form of a grand virtuoso entertainment. One of George Balanchine’s rare narrative ballets, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is entering the Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire. The sets and costumes for this production have been designed by another magician of the stage, Christian Lacroix.
Soloists : Pranvera Lehnert, Anne-Sophie Ducret | Étoiles, Premiers Danseurs and Corps de Ballet of Paris Opera | Orchestra and Chorus of Paris Opera
Set design : Christian Lacroix ; Costume design : Christian Lacroix ; Lighting design : Mark Stanley ; Conductor : Simon Hewett ; Chorus master : José Luis Basso
French
Production compagny : Telmondis
Coproduction compagny : France Télévisions
Running Time : 1x105'
Production Year : 2017
Distribution compagny : Telmondis Distribution
Video Format : HD