A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Why have composers and choreographers been fascinated for decades by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Maybe it is the historical period of the play, maybe the caste system, maybe the versatile stylistic means of writing and the tangled plot? Fairy tale characters like Oberon and Titania fight sensual and witty battles, next to figures from Greek mythology, such as Theseus and Hippolyta which cause great confusion in the life of a clumsy craftsman and a group of lovers from present times.

Choreographer John Neumeier created his version of Sommernachtstraum in 1977 and the piece has been a steady part of the Bayerisches Staatsballett's repertory. It was first performed in 1993. Proof lies in its unique and thoughtful, virtuosic approach to developing drama. After all, the complex mixture of musical layers would be worth a separate panel discussion. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's atmospheric musical score for Sommernachtstraum reflects the world of the mortals, while Györgi Ligeti's siren-esque organ pieces bring to mind the fairy kingdom depicted in Shakespeare's play. The craftsmen's dance is underlined by dominant opera paraphrases for the barrel organ which satirize even the noblest melodies. As with the musical layers, together with his stage- and costume designer Jürgen Rose, Neumeier mixes the historical settings cleverly. What would be more suited to the sounds of Mendelsohn's score than a sweet Biedermeier set? An olive tree is a perfect symbol of the antique, mythology and fairy tales in one. John Neumeier's A Midsummer Night’s Dream always has been a wonderful representation of an full-length classical ballet made in the later half of the 20th century, the 1970s in Germany. 

Prologue

Eve of the Wedding - Hippolyta's Room: On the eve of the wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus, Duke of Athens, the final preparations are underway. Hippolyta's friends Helena and Hermia help her finish the wedding dress. Philostratus, overseer of merrymaking at Theseus' court, supervises everything.

The treasurer presents Hippolyta with the wedding jewelry. He is accompanied by the officer Demetrius, Helena's former fiancé, who is now courting Hermia in vain. Helena, however, still loves Demetrius. The gardener Lysander brings some samples of the wedding flowers. He is also in love with Hermia, as she is with him. Secretly, Lysander gives Hermia a letter asking for a rendezvous in the forest, and a branch of the olive tree under which they are to meet. The jealous Helena finds the letter and shows it to Demetrius. Theseus visits Hippolyta. He gives her a rose, but at the same time flirts with the beautiful ladies of the court. Hippolyta notices everything and doubts his - and her - love for Theseus, the husband chosen for her.

A group of craftsmen, led by the weaver Zettel, enter and ask permission to perform the play Pyramus and Thisbe at the wedding feast. Left alone, Hippolyta finds Lysander's love letter to Hermia. Thoughtfully, she falls asleep. She dreams...

Act 1

The dream - night in the forest: Titania, queen of the fairies, quarrels with the fairy king Oberon. In anger, Oberon gives his trusted elf Puck a flower that has a magic effect. When shaken over the eyes of a sleeping person, he falls in love with the first person he sees when he wakes up. By order of Oberon, Puck is to play a trick on Titania.

Happily, Lysander and Hermia meet in the forest. Demetrius searches for Hermia, Helena follows Demetrius. Oberon watches them all. Feeling sorry for Helena, Oberon asks Puck to use the love flower on Demetrius so that he can fall in love with Helena again.

Lysander and Hermia are lost in the forest. They fall asleep separately. By mistake, Puck holds the love flower over Lysander. Lysander is accidentally woken up by Helena. Immediately he falls passionately in love with her. Confused, Helena runs away from him. Hermia wakes up and looks for Lysander.

Zettel and his comrades look for a place in the forest to rehearse their play. The roles are distributed and Zettel leads the rehearsal. Puck looks on in amusement. As a joke, he turns Zettel's head into that of a donkey. The other craftsmen recoil.

Titania and her entourage fall asleep. Puck now uses the love flower on Titania. Accidentally awakened by Zettel with the donkey's head, she falls passionately in love with him. While Oberon watches Demetrius, who is still in love with Hermia, he realizes Puck's mistake. To correct this mistake, Puck uses the flower again, now actually on Demetrius. Helena stumbles upon the sleeping man and wakes him up. He falls in love with her, too.

Oberon realizes the total confusion and orders Puck to set everything right. Puck arranges the sleeping lovers next to each other and once again uses the love flower.

Act 2

Dawn - In the forest: Helena, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius wake up and find each other. The craftsmen find Zettel, freed from his donkey's head.

Hippolyta's room: Hippolyta, still dreaming on her sofa, is watched by Theseus. Tenderly he wakes her up. Both realize that they have fallen in love

The other lovers enter and ask to be allowed to marry right away. Theseus gives them his blessing.

Banquet hall in Theseus' castle: The wedding feast is celebrated. The craftsmen perform their play Pyramus and Thisbe. After the wedding guests have left, Oberon frees Titania from the spell and they confess their love to each other.