A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Let the Royal New Zealand Ballet transport you to a fantastical world of dazzling dance, music and enchantment. Following its hugely successful world premiere in 2015, the RNZB is thrilled to be bringing A Midsummer Night’s Dream back for Christmas 2021. Lovers, fairies, mischief and moonlight conspire in Shakespeare’s classic tale, vividly retold with sparkling steps and Mendelssohn’s famous score.

Choreographed by the late Liam Scarlett at the beginning of his short but blazingly bright international career, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was an overnight sensation at its premiere, with capacity audiences throughout its first New Zealand tour. Distinguished New Zealand designer Tracy Grant Lord created the glorious vision of Shakespeare’s iconic characters and enchanted wood, illuminated with lighting by Kendall Smith. Former RNZB Music Director Nigel Gaynor’s score adds to Mendelssohn’s wonderful overture, written when the composer was just 16, together with his incidental music to the play and arrangements of Mendelssohn’s chamber music, piano solos and other orchestral works, to create a two act ballet.

Don’t miss your chance to see this spectacular ballet when it returns to Aotearoa – a wonderful treat for young and old, lovers of dance, music and sheer theatrical magic.

Performances in Wellington will be accompanied by the 2015 NZSO recording.