The Man behind the Music of “Midsummer”: Felix Mendelssohn

In just a few short weeks, the bright, staccato strings and the playful, blustering brass of Felix Mendelssohn’s Op. 21, the overture of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will fill McCaw Hall. Mendelssohn was just 17 when he wrote this famous overture. He went on to live a bustling life full of creating and performing music. Eduard Devrient described Mendelssohn as “always bubbling over like champagne in a small glass.” Read on to learn more about this man, who was just as vivacious as his compositions.

2023-04-05T12:11:25-07:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: Performances|Tags: , , |Comments Off on The Man behind the Music of “Midsummer”: Felix Mendelssohn

Five years on, Jessika Anspach reflects on Midsummer

A Midsummer (er… springtime?) Night’s Dream

by Jessika Anspach McEliece

The smell of sautéing onions wafted through the air as Classic FM streamed on my husband’s computer in our English flat (what the Brits call an apartment). All of a sudden, a familiar tune, Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony […]

12 Fun Facts About A Midsummer Night’s Dream

  1. PNB’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the first major story ballet by George Balanchine to be completely redesigned with the approval of The George Balanchine Trust.

2. The scenery and costumes, designed by Martin Pakledinaz, were influenced by 19th-century English and Italian Renaissance designs.

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