Follow Us

Experience Magical Mischief with Alberta Ballet's A Midsummer Night's Dream

Calgary/Edmonton, AB - Alberta Ballet continues its Shakespeare cycle with A Midsummer Night's Dream, the company's first performance of its remarkable 2008-2009 season.

Internationally-renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon creates a lush moonlit world where fairies and mortals fall victim to the contrasting themes of reality and illusion; waking and dreaming; and true and false love.

Alberta Ballet was the first Canadian company to perform a Wheeldon work and is proud to once again bring his enchanting ballet to Alberta stages. Alberta Ballet premiered A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2001 and re-mounted it in 2003, in response to overwhelming praise from audiences and critics alike. Recently described as "the world's most explosively talented choreographer" (The Guardian), Wheeldon is a wunderkind, widely regarded as the heir to great ballet creators George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan and Frederick Ashton.

Set to Felix Mendelssohn's ethereal score, Wheeldon's magical interpretation tells the story of mischievous fairies amusing themselves by playing matchmaker, using magic to mix up the love lives of two human couples. This hilarious and spellbinding performance will come to life with highly-crafted sets and over 100 breathtaking costumes. Join us and get swept away in this comedy of errors, one of Shakespeare's best-loved tales.

A Midsummer Night's Dream premieres at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary, running from October 23 to 25. From November 7 to 8, Edmonton audiences can enjoy the ballet at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. All performances feature live orchestral accompaniment by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is appropriate for audiences of all ages. To purchase tickets, phone the Calgary box office at 403-245-4549, or the Edmonton box office at 780-428-6839 ext. 1.

About Alberta Ballet:
Since its formation in 1966, Alberta Ballet, Canada's third-largest ballet company, has been praised for its eclectic, bold and youthful programming that has wowed audiences and critics alike around the world. Considered one of the most successful Canadian choreographers of his generation, Artistic Director Jean Grand-Maître has built a rich repertoire that includes the ballets of such masters as George Balanchine and Rudi van Dantzig, as well as original works; including the critically acclaimed The Fiddle & The Drum, a collaboration with legendary music artist Joni Mitchell.

Calgary media contact:

Samantha Garner, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
P: 403-245-4222 ext. 529 | E: samanthag@albertaballet.com
Gail Helmer, Director of Marketing and Communications
P: 403-245-4222 ext. 545 | E: gailh@albertaballet.com