A style of dance was created by George Balanchine and developed to perfection in the New York City ballet. Since his death a few years ago, almost as if following a trend to show and preserve it, Balanchine's choreography is used more and more in the repertory of other ballet companies. Such is the case with the Pennsylvania Ballet's recent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Under the artistic direction of Robert Weiss, a former NYC Ballet principal and director here for the past three years, and with the artistic advisory of Peter Martins co-ballet master in chief of the NYC Ballet, the Pennsylvania company proved itself worthy to fulfill the choreographer's dream.
To bring off a Balanchine work is not an easy effort. The balletic style he developed is unique, and not every dancer can master it enough to dance it well or even look comfortable with it.
The essence of Balanchine's choreography is music. The dancers themselves are notes come alive, moving precisely as if they jumped from the musical score.
A Midsummer Night's Dream has everything needed to enchant and weave a delightful spell that reaches its audiences easily. There are children as fireflies and butterflies, lovers with their childish antics, creatures of the forest, and Oberon and Titania, kind and queen of the fairies, who romp playfully along with the charming Puck.
In his book 101 Stories of the Great Ballet written with Francis Mason, George Balanchine recalls his own performance at the age of eight as an elf in a Midsummer production at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, and writes that the ballet has always been a favorite of his.
Felix Mendelssohn's score for Midsummer provides a haunting sweetness, particularly with the violins. Balanchine also added pieces from other Mendelssohn works, such as Athalie, The Fair Melusine, The First Walpurgis Night, Symphony No. 9 and the Overture from Son and Stronger.
It was one of Balanchine goals to create a ballet that a dance lover could enjoy whether or not familiar with Shakespeare's play, upon which it is based. Balanchine called the battle a dream because it deals with things seen and unseen, of mortals and immortals in the less-than-clear states of love
The ballet that emerged was the first given by the New York City ballet, on January 17, 1962 at the City Center in New York. It continues to be part of their repertory and was recently televised over PBS.
The enchantment begins in a forest near the palace of Theseus, Duke of Athens. Fireflies and butterflies dart about oblivious to the troubles of morals like Helena and the immortals of Oberon and Titania, who quarrel over an Indian lad.
Oberon decides to meddle with Titania's ease and orders Puck to bring him a special flower. The flower, pierced by Cupid's arrow, may be used to cast a love spell on whoever gazes upon it. Oberon plans to use it on Titania while she
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