Presents
Mendelssohn’s
A Partnership of
The Richmond Symphony, Virginia Opera, and Richmond Ballet
Based on the play by William Shakespeare.
Additional funding generously provided by The Richard S. Reynolds Foundation,
Philip Morris USA, Dominion and Genworth
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Table of Contents
Musical Program by Mendelssohn………………………………………… 3
Plot Synopsis of Shakespeare’s Play………………………………………. 4
Historical Background……………………………………………………... 6
Biography of William Shakespeare…………………………………………7
Biography of Felix Mendelssohn……………………………………………8
Shakespeare’s Contribution to Literature and Language……………………9
Shakespeare and Ballet……………………………………………………...10
Richmond Symphony’s Conductor, Mark Russell Smith…………………..11
Richmond Symphony’s History………………………………...…………..11
Richmond Symphony’s Musical Ambassador Program……………………13
Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestras….………………………………..14
Orchestra Set Up……………………………………………………………15
Strings and Woodwinds…………………………………………………….16
Percussion and Brass………………………………………………………..17
Richmond Ballet Fact Sheet………………………………………………...18
The History of Ballet………………………………………………………..19
Ballet Terminology…………………………………………………………20
Ballet Unit Terminology……………………………………………………22
Five Ballet Positions of the Feet……………………………………………23
Ballet Activity………………………………………………………………24
Virginia Opera History……………………………………………………...25
Short History of Opera……………………………………………………...26
Operatic Voice………………………………………………………………27
Opera Production……………………………………………………………29
Music Vocabulary and Pronunciation Guide……………………………….30
Performance Etiquette………………………………………………………33
Discussion Questions……………………………………………………….35
2
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Felix Mendelssohn
Musical Program
Overture (Op. 21) and Incidental Music (Op. 61)
Mendelssohn composed the Overture very early in his career in 1826. It captures the
essence of Shakespeare’s play in the form of a sonata. The Overture opens with four expressive
chords that beckon the listener to the magical woods inhabited by the fairy realm of Oberon and
Titania. Fleeting staccatos in the strings suggest the darting of the fairies. The full orchestra
nobly proclaims the lovers’ music. Rhythmic chords in the low strings and brass represent the
unsophisticated artisan-actors, and the sound of braying epitomizes Bottom’s transformation into
a donkey. In 1843 Mendelssohn was commissioned by the King of Prussia to write additional
music that would accompany the staging of Shakespeare’s play before his court in Potsdam.
Taking themes from the Overture as his inspiration, Mendelssohn crafted the Incidental Music.
The musical selections were intended primarily to precede an act or transition between acts.
From 1843 throughout the rest of the nineteenth century, it was common practice for
Shakespeare’s play to be accompanied by Mendelssohn’s music in the German speaking
countries.
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Overture op. 21
No. 1 Scherzo: “How Now, Spirit” (narrator)
No. 2 “Over Hill, Over Dale” (narrator)
March of the Fairies: “I Know a Bank” (narrator)
No. 3 Song With Chorus: “Come, Now a Roundel” (narrator)
“You Spotted Snakes” (First & Second Fairy, chorus)
No. 4 “What Thou See’st When Thou Dost Wake” (narrator)
“Help me Lysander, Help Me!” (narrator)
No. 5 Intermezzo: “On the Ground” (narrator)
Nocturne: “Her Dotage Now I Do Begin To Pity” (narrator)
“Be As Thou Wast Wont To Be” (narrator)
Wedding March
“Gentles, Perchance You Wonder At This Show” (narrator)
“Anon Comes Pyramus” (narrator)
Marcia Funebre
“Will It Please You To See the Epilogue” (narrator)
A Dance Of Clowns: “The Iron Tongue Of Midnight” (narrator)
Now the Hungry Lion Roars” (narrator)
Finale: “Through the House Give Glimmering Light” (narrator)
“Through This House Give Glimmering Light” (First Fairy, chorus)
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
William Shakespeare
Plot Synopsis
Act I
Theseus, Duke of Athens, is preparing to marry Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. As
they prepare for their wedding they are visited by Egeus who has in tow his daughter, Hermia
and two young men, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius, but
Hermia is in love with Lysander. The Duke states that if she does not marry as her father wishes,
the law decrees that she be executed or become a nun. The Duke gives everyone some time to
consider the consequences, but states that Hermia must make her decision by his wedding day.
Hermia and Lysander determine that they must leave Athens and go to another town to be
married. They plan on meeting in the forest outside Athens. Hermia tells her friend Helena
about the plan. Helena is in love with Demetrius and decides to tell him about Hermia’s plan,
hoping to win his favor. When Demetrius finds out about the elopement, he decides to chase
after Hermia and Lysander. Not wishing to be left behind, Helena chases after Demetrius into
the woods.
In the local forest, a group of workmen, who are also actors, are planning to perform a
play at the upcoming wedding celebration of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta. The leader of
the group is Quince, the carpenter. The play he has chosen is the story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
He assigns the role of Pyramus to Bottom, the weaver. After all the roles are assigned they agree
to rehearse the play in the forest.
Act II
The forest outside Athens is a magical place inhabited by fairies. The King and Queen of
the Fairies, Oberon and Titania, are in the midst of a royal disagreement and neither will
acquiesce. In order to play a prank on Titania, Oberon sends his jester Puck to find a special
flower whose nectar causes people to fall in love. While waiting for Puck to return, Oberon
observes Helena and Demetrius arguing as they wander lost the woods. When Puck returns he
tells him to follow Demetrius and use the magic nectar on him to ensure that Demetrius will love
Helena. Oberon then places the nectar on the eyelids of the sleeping Titania so that when she
awakens she will fall in love with the first thing she sees.
Puck follows Oberon’s orders and searches for Demetrius. When he finds a sleeping man
in the woods he applies the magic nectar to his eyelids. Unfortunately, he has found Lysander
not Demetrius. When Helena comes across Lysander, he awakens and immediately speaks of his
love for her. Helena is upset and confused.
Act III
As he moves through the forest, Puck observes the group of actors rehearsing their play.
He is amused by what he sees and decides to play a prank on Bottom by giving him the head of a
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donkey. When the other actors see this strange creature they run away. Bottom is very near the
sleeping Titania so that when she wakes he is the first thing she sees. She instantly falls in love
with Bottom sporting his donkey’s head. Oberon is pleased with his prank on Titania, but is not
happy about Puck’s mistake with Lysander. He orders him to fix the mess he has made.
The four young lovers are in turmoil as they chase around the woods. The two men are
fighting over Helena, Hermia is angry with Lysander, Helena thinks everyone is mocking her
and is ready to come to blows with Hermia. Eventually everyone falls asleep. Puck, who has
been observing the mayhem, thinks “what fools these mortals be.” He applies the magic nectar
to the sleeping Demetrius to correct his earlier mistake.
Act IV
Titania is under the influence of the magic nectar and is lavishing attention on Bottom.
Before they can retire for the night Oberon intervenes and restores Titania to her original state.
She awakens wondering why she was sleeping on the ground with mortals. Puck removes the
donkey’s head from the sleeping Bottom and restores him to his former self.
As dawn breaks, Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus enter the woods as part of a hunting
party. They come upon the two sleeping couples. As they awaken Demetrius feels great love for
Helena and Lysander has been restored to Hermia. The couples explain themselves and make
their cases before the Duke. He decides that Demetrius will marry Helena and Lysander will
marry Hermia. They will join in his wedding celebration and everyone will be married together.
As the Duke’s party leaves, the two couples don’t know how to explain the night’s events. They
think perhaps they were dreaming. They return to Athens to prepare for their weddings. Bottom
also awakens and believes he’s had a strange dream. He hurries back to town to find his friends
and get ready for the play, Pyramus and Thisbe.
Act V
The grand wedding celebration takes place and all congregate at the palace to watch the
play being performed by Quince, Bottom and their friends. As the newly-married couples
prepare to retire for night, Oberon, Titania and their fairies arrive to bless them and their
marriage beds. Puck completes the story by addressing everyone in the audience and saying that
anyone who didn’t like the play could follow the example of the characters, and say it was all
just a dream.
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Historical Background
When Felix Mendelssohn completed his musical treatment of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream in 1843, the original play by William Shakespeare had been a part of Western literature
for some two hundred and fifty years. It is believed by some scholars that Shakespeare was
commissioned to write the play as entertainment for an upper class wedding celebration. That
supposition seems a reasonable conclusion, considering the subject matter, the plot devices, the
suggestive bawdiness, and the ultimate outcome.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one play by Shakespeare that appears to be an original
undertaking and not based on earlier stories. Some aspects of the play are related to dramatic
situations or persons found in antiquity or written about by classical authors. For example, the
story of Pyramus and Thisbe, the play-within-a-play performed by the artisans (also called rude
mechanicals), had its origins in Ovid’s Metamorphosis, a text that would have been well known
to Shakespeare.
The story is an energetic and fanciful romp that concerns four sets of lovers, convoluted
disputes, lover’s quarrels, fairies, magic flowers, mistaken identities, and outright mischief. In
the end, all conflict is resolved and marital bliss ensues, a seemingly perfect ending to a wedding
gala. However, when dealing with Shakespeare, there is much more to consider than a simple
story. A Midsummer Night’s Dream can be analyzed on a variety of levels and deeper meanings
suggest a greater complexity. Shakespeare provides a surfeit of riches to explore, complete with
memorable quotes to tuck away in memory. Areas to examine include the four plot levels (the
wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, the story of the Athenian lovers, the conflict between the
fairies Oberon and Titania, the aspirations of the artisans to perform a praiseworthy play for the
royal wedding), the two settings (the “real” world of Athens and the “dream” world of the
forest), the importance of the fairies and their magic, and the general movement of conflict to
harmony (or resolution).
The rich complexity of the plot, Shakespeare’s focus on the world of the fairies, his
insights into human nature, and his undeniable genius with words has made A Midsummer
Night’s Dream a work which has been a highly desirable source for adaptation into a wide array
of creative arts. This work has been recreated and reinterpreted numerous times for stage,
screen, orchestra, opera, ballet, animation and musical over the last four hundred years. Some of
the adaptations are as follows:
Henry Purcell’s opera, The Faerie Queen (1692)
David Garrick’s musical, The Fairies (1755)
Madame Lucia Vestris, restored original, women played Oberon and Puck (1840)
Mendelssohn’s Overture, op.21 and Incidental Music, op.61 (1843)
Max Reinhardt’s movie, music reorchestrated by Korngold (1935)
Musical, Swingin’ the Dream by Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman (1939)
Benjamin Britten’s opera (1960)
Ballet, George Balanchine, full-length, New York City Ballet (1962)
Ballet, The Dream, Frederick Ashton, one act, Royal Ballet (1964)
Disney, Mouse Works, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, et.al. (1999)
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William Shakespeare
(1564 – 1616)
The literary works of William Shakespeare are known and celebrated all over the world
but relatively little is known about Shakespeare the man. There were no contemporary
biographies written during his lifetime and only a few details about his life are supported by
documentation. Much of what is believed about Shakespeare’s life cannot be confirmed by actual
data but is deduced through ancillary sources.
It is believed that he was born on April 22 or 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. His early
education took place at the Free School, ending at the age of thirteen when he became
apprenticed to a butcher. When he was eighteen he married Anne Hathaway, a woman who was
eight years his senior, and a child was born six months later. On February 21, 1585, a pair of
twins was born to the couple. It is possible that the marriage was not a happy one. A conviction
for poaching deer appeared to spur Shakespeare’s departure from Stratford to London where he
found employment doing menial work at a theater. He lived apart from his family for about
twenty years.
Shakespeare remained involved in theater work for a period of time and eventually
established himself as an actor. Sometime between 1589 and 1592 he wrote his first play, Henry
VI, Part One, although there are some who contend that Love’s Labor’s Lost was the first. The
success of Henry VI spurred him to write parts Two and Three. Between 1592 and 1594 the
theaters in London were closed due to the plague. Shakespeare turned to poetry during this time.
In 1593 he published the poem Venus and Adonis, and in 1594 he wrote The Rape of Lucrece. In
that year he also helped found an acting company, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, becoming a
principal shareholder. After the death of Queen Elizabeth I, the name of Shakespeare’s company
changed to The King’s Men, in honor of the new king, James I.
During the period 1594 – 1596, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer
Night’s Dream. Romeo and Juliet was his first tragedy. There is a general belief that A
Midsummer Night’s Dream’s play-within-a-play, Pyramus and Thisbe, is a parody of Romeo and
Juliet. Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream most probably as an entertainment for a
high society wedding, one possibly attended by Queen Elizabeth I. Unlike many of his other
plays, he does not explore great issues or deep emotions. It is a frolic about the absurdities of
love and is full of magic potions, fairies, mistaken identities, and ultimately the triumph of love.
In 1597 Shakespeare and his acting troupe were forced to find a new venue for their plays
after their lease expired at the Blackfriars Theater. In 1598 they decided to build their own
theater, financing construction among themselves. The company built the Globe Theater, a
venue that accommodated 3,000 patrons, in 1599. Many of Shakespeare’s most famous plays,
including Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, Richard II, All’s Well That Ends Well, Troilus and
Cressida, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth, were performed there by his company. The measure
of his success as a dramatist and businessman can be inferred by the records of properties he
bought in Stratford in 1597, 1602 and 1603, including a home in the center of Stratford.
The Globe Theater burned down in 1613, the same year Shakespeare retired from the
theater and returned to Stratford. He died three years later on April 23, 1616, and was buried in
Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. Seven years after his death a group of his colleagues published
his plays in an edition entitled First Folio. A monument to William Shakespeare can be seen at
the Poets Corner in Westminster Abbey in London, England.
7
Felix Mendelssohn
(1809 – 1847)
Felix Mendelssohn was only seventeen years when he composed the Overture to A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. The works of Shakespeare had always been a source of inspiration
to him and his siblings. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a particular favorite as they acted the
various roles of the play for both education and entertainment. His sister, Fanny, once wrote,
“We have really grown up together with the Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Felix, in particular,
has made it his own.”
Felix Mendelssohn was child prodigy and experienced an idyllic childhood. His name
actually means “happy”. He was born into a family of talented, well-educated people to whom
music was very important. His grandfather was Moses Mendelssohn, one of the leading figures
of the German Enlightenment. He was good-natured and amiable, handsome and rich.
Mendelssohn did not fit the Romantic Age stereotype that artists had to suffer or be unhappy in
order to write passionate, emotional music.
At the age of ten he began serious studies at the best school of music in Berlin. In his
first year he composed more than fifty works and within two years had composed five
symphonies, nine fugues and two operas. At the young age of eleven he was introduced to Carl
Maria von Weber and was invited to spend several days with the aging Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe at his home in Weimar. He continued his prodigious early endeavors composing for
performances at musical gatherings at his parent’s home. His Overture to A Midsummer Night’s
Dream had its beginnings in this way, composed originally for two pianos. The one musical
luminary with whom he was constantly compared was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
When he was twenty years old Mendelssohn undertook a massive study of Bach’s St.
Matthew Passion, a work that had been almost forgotten, and one that had not been performed
since Bach’s death. His efforts led to a revival of the works of Bach, not only in Mendelssohn’s
lifetime, but for generations to come.
In his adult life Mendelssohn led a whirlwind existence of composing, conducting and
travel all over Europe. In 1835 was appointed the director of musical life in Leipzig. He built its
orchestra into the finest in Europe, and established the Leipzig Conservatory. During this eleven
year period, Leipzig became the musical center of Europe.
The Incidental Music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a work that Mendelssohn
composed at the request of the King of Prussia in 1843. The King was intent on improving the
cultural life in Prussia by sponsoring elaborate theatricals that had musical accompaniments,
entr’actes, and overtures. Since Mendelssohn had written the Overture in honor of
Shakespeare’s play seventeen years earlier, he used that worthy composition as the basis for the
additional music. The themes from the Overture were expanded and developed to create a fully
integrated score for the play. The Wedding March from the Incidental Music is probably the
best known melody from the work, being the choice of generations of brides to conclude the
wedding ceremony.
Just three years after composing the Incidental Music, Mendelssohn’s life was cut short
by a series of strokes at the age of thirty-eight. He left a wife, four children, and a legacy of
unforgettable music touched by genius. His best known works besides A Midsummer Night’s
Dream are his symphonies, the Violin Concerto in E Minor, and the oratorio, Elijah.
8
Shakespeare’s Impact on Literature and Language
William Shakespeare is generally considered the greatest dramatist and the most popular
author the world has ever known. No other writer’s works have been produced or read so widely
around the world. Many reasons can be given for his broad appeal, but a key element would be
his understanding of human nature and his insights into the wide range and depth of human
emotions. He was able to create characters and dramatic situations that have been timeless in
their impact. His works continue to resonate today, relating to real human beings as they
struggle with life’s challenges. He also excelled in both tragedy and comedy, a feat accomplished
by very few.
Shakespeare is credited with one of the world’s most extensive vocabularies. In
comparing numbers of words used by individuals, it was once estimated that educated people
used a vocabulary of between 3000 and 5000 words, and a scholar used about 7000 words. By
comparison, Shakespeare recorded a vocabulary upwards of 29,000 words. He invented more
than 1700 of the words we commonly use today. According to the website
http://shakespeare.about.com, Shakespeare accomplished this feat by changing nouns into verbs,
changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and
suffixes, and devising entirely new words. This site also lists more than one hundred words
devised by Shakespeare and links them directly to the play in which they first appeared. The
book, “Coined by Shakespeare,” by Jeffrey McQuain and Stanley Malless provides even more
words created by Shakespeare and the history of their usage.
Shakespeare has influenced writers of every generation. The power and variety of his
characters and his mastery of plot development have had a profound impact on the history of
Western literature and theater. An analysis of his works is an essential component of study for
aspiring writers in many disciplines. Shakespearean words and phrases have been used as titles
for countless books, plays, movies and other creative endeavors. A brief sampling includes The
Winter of Our Discontent, Bell, Book and Candle, Brave New World, The Sound and the Fury,
Band of Brothers, Where Eagles Dare, What Dreams May Come, Murder Most Foul, and The
Dogs of War.
Phrases which originated in his plays have infiltrated into our common usage so that we
are unaware that we are “quoting Shakespeare.” A few examples are, “It’s all Greek to me,”
“not budge an inch,” “green-eyed jealousy,” “to play fast and loose,” “to be tongue-tied,” “to be
a tower of strength,” “to knit your brows,” “make a virtue of necessity,” “insist on fair play,”
“stand on ceremony,” “too much of a good thing,” “seen better days,” “living in a fool’s
paradise, “slept not one wink,” or “the wish is father to the thought.” The Story of English by
Bernard Levin is an excellent reference for many other examples. Additionally, memorable
quotations from Shakespeare such as “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely
players,” and “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” are recorded in great numbers and have an
honored place in English literature.
The measure of Shakespeare’s immense influence is also reflected in the number and
variety of adaptations of his works over the centuries. These adaptations range throughout the
world of creative arts and include orchestral works, operas, musicals, plays, ballets, films, and
animation.
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Shakespeare and Ballet
It was common practice in Elizabethan theater to bring staged comedy to a close with a
dance. Dance, along with music and poetry, was an essential component of a sixteenth century
education and many types of dances were a popular form of entertainment enjoyed by all levels
of society. Shakespeare included dance in many of his plays and the imagery of dance enlivens
many of his poems. A Midsummer Night’s Dream contains a Bergomask, a rustic dance
performed by the artisans (rude mechanicals) who perform the play-within-a-play, Pyramus and
Thisbe.
Among the many adaptations of Shakespeare’s works are numerous ballets which
articulate the story through choreographed dance. Turning a Shakespearian play into a ballet is a
special challenge because of the stature of Shakespeare and the esteem accorded his words. It is
also clear that there is tremendous potential in expressing the essentials of plot and character
through the medium of classical dance set to music.
The earliest record of Shakespeare adapted to dance form is the ballet Antony and
Cleopatra performed in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1761. Soon after, many more ballets were
produced. The Tempest appeared in ballet form in London in 1774, and Hamlet was staged in
Venice in 1788. But, by far the most popular play to be recreated as a ballet has been Romeo and
Juliet. It first appeared in Venice in 1785 and has since become a staple of the ballet repertory.
The various versions of each production are defined by the music chosen as the basis for the
ballet combined with the dance steps and movements created by the choreographer to express the
story and characters of the play.
The earliest record of a ballet based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a production at
La Scala in Milan, Italy, in 1855, based on music by Giorza and choreographed by Giovanni
Corsati. Russian productions in St. Petersburg were among the first to use the music of Felix
Mendelssohn as the basis for their ballets. The Russian choreographers were Marius Petipa in
1876 and Mikhail Fokine in 1906. Many other versions followed, culminating in a full-length
ballet created by George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet in 1962.
Balanchine’s production was his first original full- length work in America. Like many
before him, the music he chose was Mendelssohn’s Overture and Incidental Music for A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. He amplified this music with additional selections from
Mendelssohn’s oeuvre to provide sufficient music for a full-length ballet. He condensed the
original play into two acts and eliminated the play-within-a-play. His choreography and staging
focused on Shakespeare’s themes of fantasy verses reality, transformation, and the many aspects
of love.
In 1964, Frederick Ashton of the Royal Ballet produced his adaptation of Shakespeare’s
play in a one-act version called The Dream. The occasion was the 400th anniversary of
Shakespeare’s birth and was one of three ballets based on his plays. He eliminated the characters
of Theseus and Hippolyta, beginning the story with the Fairy King and Queen, Oberon and
Titania. Shakespeare’s character Bottom is portrayed in The Dream by a male demi-character
dancer, one who combines ballet danseur technique with mime, gestures and facial expressions.
When Bottom is transformed into a donkey, Ashton places him on pointe, in toe shoes, to further
his visual and dancing transformation. Ashton’s production is a fitting example of the ingenuity
and infinite variety that the ballet art-form provides in adapting Shakespeare to the world of
dance.
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The Richmond Symphony
The Conductor
Mark Russell Smith
Since joining the Richmond Symphony in 1999, Mark Russell Smith has won critical acclaim for
his innovative and approachable programming, which has garnered the Richmond Symphony
renewed vigor, depth of sound and range of expression. Under Smith’s leadership, the
Richmond Symphony has increased its commitment to arts education and to reaching diverse
audiences. These hallmarks of his continuing vision are enriching the lives of music lovers
across Virginia as the thrill of high quality, live classical music continue to allow the Richmond
Symphony to serve as one of the largest and best performing arts organizations in the state.
Mark Russell Smith grew up in a musical family in Phoenix, Arizona, where he began the
serious study of conducting while still in his teens. He is a graduate of cello performance of the
Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied conducting with Max Rudolf
and Otto-Werner Mueller. Upon graduation, Mr. Smith was named Assistant Conductor of the
Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Singers.
From 1989 to 1994, Smith served as Associate Conductor of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
and as Conductor of the Phoenix Symphony Guild Youth Orchestra. From 1992-1999, he served
as Music Director of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. His dynamic personality, creative
programming and focus on outreach helped revitalize the Springfield (MA) Symphony, where he
served as Music Director from 1995 until the end of the 2000 season.
The Richmond Symphony Orchestra History
The Richmond Symphony is one of the largest performing arts organizations in Virginia, with a
47-year history of bringing high quality, live classical music to audiences across the state.
With its home in Central Virginia, the Richmond Symphony was founded in 1957 under the
direction of Edgar Schenkman. His successor, Jacques Houtmann then lead the Symphony
starting in 1971. Recognized conductor George Manahan followed becoming the Richmond
Symphony’s third music director in the 1988-1989 season, with current Conductor and Music
Director, Mark Russell Smith leading the Symphony since 1999.
In its first season, the Richmond Symphony performed only three concerts; today, the Richmond
Symphony performs over 40 concerts each season, attracting varied audiences.
From the formal classics of the Northwestern Mutual Masterworks Series to the blockbuster
guest artists of the Pops Series, to a totally Kicked-Back Series and shows for families, the
Richmond Symphony is WHERE MUSIC LIVES.
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Set-up
The Richmond Symphony employs a core of 37 musicians and can expand to almost 70
musicians when the repertoire requires a larger instrumentation.
An orchestra has four main sections:
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass
Woodwinds: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon
Brass: Horn, Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba
Percussion: Timpani, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbals, Triangle, Chimes, Gong….
Keyboard: Piano, Harpsichord
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Musical Ambassadors Program
In-School programs performed by the 6 Chamber Ensembles of the
Richmond Symphony: Core Strings, String Quartet, Woodwind Quartet,
Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet and the Percussion Duo.
Reserve Your Date and Time Today!
Contact:
Diane Hilbert
Director of Education, Richmond Symphony
300 West Franklin St., #103E
Richmond, VA 23220
Ph. (804) 788-4717 ext.130
Fx. (804) 788-1541
[email protected]
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Richmond Symphony Youth
Orchestras
Contact:
Shelby Murphy
Youth Orchestras Manager/Assistant Director of Education
804-788-4717 ext.131
[email protected]
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FACT SHEET 2005-06
Richmond Ballet, the State Ballet of Virginia, is ranked today as one of the top mid-sized ballet
companies in America, producing exceptional dance programs that reach approximately 50,000 people
throughout the Commonwealth and thousands more throughout the nation. An article in Dance Magazine
celebrated the Ballet’s work, praising Artistic Director Stoner Winslett’s repertory development and her
ability to attract a strong ensemble of international artists to the Ballet.
Equally essential to Richmond Ballet’s success is its School of Richmond Ballet, a nationally recognized
training institution that provides classes to more than 500 students annually. The School of Richmond
Ballet enrolls students of all ages and skill levels at its state-of-the-art facility in downtown Richmond. In
addition, Richmond Ballet is gaining increased national attention for the quality of its education and
outreach programs, particularly its innovative Minds In Motion.
Mission
As Virginia’s sole professional ballet company, Richmond Ballet is committed to:
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building an institution of integrity that addresses its community’s needs, as well
as its responsibilities to the art form;
providing the finest training to its dancers and students; and
enhancing the community by providing significant education and outreach
programs.
History
Founded in the late 1950s by local dance enthusiasts, Richmond Ballet served the
Richmond community as a civic ballet for over 25 years before becoming a professional
company in 1984. Individuals, corporations, and public entities that believe in the vision
of professional dance and training for the Commonwealth support Richmond Ballet. In
1990, Governor Douglas Wilder proclaimed Richmond Ballet the State Ballet of
Virginia.
Services
Richmond Ballet offers citizens of Virginia an extraordinary range of performances and
services:
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An extensive repertory ranging from full-length ballets to 19th and 20th century
masterpieces and works created by contemporary choreographers;
The School of Richmond Ballet offers the finest and safest dance training for preprofessional and avocational students in classes ranging from classical ballet,
jazz, and modern, as well as intensive summer training for students from around
the country;
Youth Performances provide area school children with the opportunity to see
portions of well-known ballets performed in the theater;
Lecture-demonstrations in schools help to enrich the cultural lives of area
elementary school children;
Minds In Motion offers a curriculum-based program designed to teach more than
1,100 fourth-grade children the values of discipline and self-worth through the
medium of movement;
Preview lectures given prior to each production provide insight into the art of
ballet.
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The History of Ballet
The art of Ballet can trace its origins to the early seventeenth century, when dancers performed to
entertain audiences between scenes of an opera. These short dances grew in popularity and
importance until they became a form of theater in their own right, accompanied by a
standardization of movements and defining of other stylistic conventions. In 1661, King Louis
XIV of France founded the Royal Academy of Dance, establishing Paris as the center of academic
ballet. Official ballet vocabulary and terminology is rooted in the French language, and many
original steps and positions that were taught at the Royal Academy of Dance remain the same
today. Italian dancers also developed their own styles and approaches to the dance, and both
schools flourished throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. During the 1920’s, Russian- born
George Balanchine brought the art of ballet to America, establishing the School of American
Ballet. Ballet has become increasingly stylized and challenging over time, evolving into the
intricate and highly choreographed art form that it is today.
King Louis XIV
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/exploring/ballet/history.html
http://www.bostonballet.org/educationoutreach/ balletbasics/ballethistory.aspx
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Ballet Terminology
Adagio
Slow and sustained movements.
Allegro
Fast movements.
Arabesque
A position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other
leg extended in a straight line to the rear. The positions of the
arms and the height of the raised leg may vary.
Attitude
A position in which the dancer stands on one leg, the other leg
raised behind the body with the knee bent. A similar position, but with the leg
placed in front of the body, may also be called an attitude.
Ballerina
The principal female dancer in a company. The term is
misapplied when used to designate any female dancer.
Ballet
An art of movement. The movement is vertical and horizontal on stage movement is
organized in space and follows time in rhythmical patterns as indicated by the
music. Movement sequences can convey a story without the use of words or even
mime movement can establish mood, make statements and develop a good story
line.
Barre
A wooden pole, usually fixed horizontally to a wall, that
dancers hold for support in certain exercises.
Choreographer
One who selects or invents the steps, movements, and patterns
of a ballet. He must relate these motions to the music, the theme abstract or
dramatic and the design of the production in order to make a ballet with form,
sequence, and purpose.
Demi-Pointe
With the full weight of the body on the toes and the ball of the
foot.
Pas de Deux
A duet. A classical grand pas de deux consists of an entrée,
adagio, two solos one executed by the ballerina; the other done by the danseur and
a coda.
Pirouette
A turn of the body done while standing on one leg, the other leg
being held in any one of a number of traditional positions. A pirouette is done on
demi-pointe by the male, on pointe by
the female, dancer.
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Plié
A bending of the knees with hips, legs, and feet turned outward.
Demi-Plie
A half-bending of the knees without raising the heels of the
ground.
Pointe
The tip of the toe.
Pointe Shoes
Special shoes designed to give support in the arch and dance en
pointe.
Port de Bras
The positions and movements of the arms.
Relevé
To rise onto pointe or demi-pointe.
Rond de Jambe
A rotary movement of the leg. It can be done in a number of
ways, such as on the floor with
knee straight, or in air with a circular rotation of the knee from
bent to straight.
Turnout
The body positions of classical ballet in which the limbs are
turned out from the hips at a 180 angle. Ballet beginners start with a less extreme
turnout.
Tutu
The fluffy skirt worn by the female dancer. In ballets of the
romantic style, the tutu falls to below the calf. In the later,
classical style ballet, it is short enough to reveal the legs
completely.
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BALLET UNIT TERMINOLOGY
BARRE EXERCISES
1. PLIE [plee-ay]
bend
2. DEMI [dem-ee]
half
3. GRANDE [grond]
large
4. TENDU [tawn-dew]
to extend
5. DEGAGE [day-ga-zhay]
disengaged
6. EN CROIX [ahn krwah]
in the shape of a cross
7. ROND De JAMBE [rawn dah zhahnb]
8. RELEVES [ruhl-vay]
circling of the leg
to raise
CENTER WORK
9.
SAUTE [soh-tay]
jump
10. CHANGEM ENT [shon-jmon]
change
11. ESCHAPPE [ay-sha-pay]
escape
12. COUPE [koo-pay]
cut
13. PAS DE BOUREE [pah-de-buray] bourree step
14. GLISSADE [glee-sod]
glide
15. TEMBE [taum-bay]
to fall
16. PAS DE CHAT [pah-de-shah]
step of the cat
17. BALANCE [bal-on-say]
rocking step
18. SOUTENU [soo-te-nu]
sustained
19. CHASSE [sha-say]
chase
20. REVERANCE
bow or curtsey
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Five Ballet Positions of the Feet
-First Position
-Second Position
-Third Position
-Fourth Position
-Fifth Position
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Ballet Activity
Word Association Match the words on the right with a word on the left. Afterwards, discuss
why you matched your words together.
pas de deux
dancing on pointe
tutu
language
Clara
Cinderella
ballerina
costume
make-up
tackle box
mime
"The Nutcracker"
pointe shoes
duet
Fairy Godmother
female dancer
Name these costume items.
Virginia Opera History
Under the artistic leadership of Maestro Peter Mark, the company is known and respected
nationwide for the identification and presentation of the finest young artists, for the musical and
dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach
programs. The Company has a working budget of $6 million with 36 mainstage performances in
three markets reaching nearly 80,000 attendees, and a donor base exceeding 6,000 contributors.
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n March of 1994, by unanimous vote of the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Opera was
named The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia in recognition of the organization's
contribution to the Commonwealth, and to the world of opera.
Organized in 1974 by founding president Edythe C. Harrison, Virginia Opera was launched with
two productions in the Norfolk Center Theater, and has since expanded to four productions
including 20 performances at the Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, eight
at the Landmark Theater in Richmond, and eight at George Mason University's Center for the Arts
in Fairfax. Virginia Opera's history in Richmond began in 1977 with the encouragement of thenGovernor Mills Godwin and Mrs. T. Fleetwood (Anna) Garner, under whose leadership The
Richmond Friends of Opera was formed to present Virginia Opera productions annually in
Richmond.
By 1983, the Richmond and Central Virginia Board of Virginia Opera was formed and a
Richmond office was opened. In November 1992, the company presented its first mainstage
performance at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax. This development
was hailed as "one of the major local operatic events of the year" by The Washington Post; and deemed
"a special day in music history for the Washington, D.C. area," by Opera News.
Virginia Opera is one of the finest opera companies in the nation and is the only company to
perform regularly in three separate main stage venues. In addition, Virginia Opera's Education and
Outreach Program reaches more students and adults in the classroom and community than any
other opera company in the United States - including more than 200,000 students and community
members in the past year.
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A
Short History of Opera
The word opera is the plural form of the Latin word opus, which translates quite literally as work .
The use of the plural form alludes to the plurality of art forms that combine to create an operatic
performance. Today we accept the word opera as a reference to a theatrically based musical art
form in which the drama is propelled by the sung declamation of text accompanied by a full
symphony orchestra.
Opera as an art form can claim its origin with the inclusion of incidental music that was performed
during the tragedies and comedies popular during ancient Greek times. The tradition of including
music as an integral part of theatrical activities expanded in Roman times and continued throughout
the Middle Ages. Surviving examples of liturgical dramas and vernacular plays from Medieval times
show the use of music as an “insignificant” part of the action as do the vast mystery and morality
plays of the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Traditional view holds that the first completely sung musical
drama (or opera) developed as a result of discussions held in Florence in the 1570s by an informal
academy known as the Camerata which led to the musical setting of Rinuccini’s drama, Dafne, by
composer, Jacopo Peri in 1597.
The work of such early Italian masters as Giulio Caccini and Claudio Monteverdi led to the
development of a through-composed musical entertainment comprised of recitative sections (secco
and accompagnato) which revealed the plot of the drama; followed by da capo arias which
provided the soloist an opportunity to develop the emotions of the character. The function of the
chorus in these early works mirrored that of the character of the same name found in Greek drama.
The new “form” was greeted favorably by the public and quickly became a popular entertainment.
Opera has flourished throughout the world as a vehicle for the expression of the full range of
human emotions. Italians claim the art form as their own, retaining dominance in the field through
the death of Giacomo Puccini in 1924. Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, and Leoncavallo
developed the art form through clearly defined periods that produced opera buffa , opera seria , bel
canto, and verismo. The Austrian Mozart also wrote operas in Italian and championed the
singspiel (sing play), which combined the spoken word with music, a form also used by Beethoven
in his only opera, Fidelio. Bizet (Carmen), Offenbach (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Gounod (Faust), and
Meyerbeer (Les Huguenots) led the adaptation by the French which ranged from the opera comique
to the grand full-scale tragedie lyrique . German composers von Weber (Der Freischütz), Richard
Strauss (Ariadne auf Naxos), and Wagner (Der Ring des Nibelungen) developed diverse forms such as
singspiel to through-composed spectacles unified through the use of the leitmotif. The English
ballad opera , Spanish zarzuela and Viennese operetta helped to establish opera as a form of
entertainment which continues to enjoy great popularity throughout the world.
With the beginning of the 20 th century, composers in America diverged from European traditions in
order to focus on their own roots while exploring and developing the vast body of the country’s folk
music and legends. Composers such as Aaron Copland, Douglas Moore, Carlisle Floyd, Howard
Hanson, and Robert Ward have all crafted operas that have been presented throughout the world to
great success. Today, composers John Adams, Philip Glass, and John Corigliano enjoy success both
at home and abroad and are credited with the infusion of new life into an art form which continues
to evolve even as it approaches its fifth century.
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The Operatic Voice
A true (and brief) definition of the “operatic” voice is a difficult
proposition. Many believe the voice is “born,” while just as many hold
to the belief that the voice is “trained.” The truth lies somewhere
between the two. Voices that can sustain the demands required by the
operatic repertoire do have many things in common. First and foremost
is a strong physical technique that allows the singer to sustain long
phrases through the control of both the inhalation and exhalation of breath. Secondly, the voice
(regardless of its size) must maintain a resonance in both the head (mouth, sinuses) and chest
cavities. The Italian word “squillo” (squeal) is used to describe the brilliant tone required to
penetrate the full symphony orchestra that accompanies the singers. Finally, all voices are defined
by both the actual voice “type” and the selection of repertoire for which the voice is ideally suited.
Within the five major voice types ( Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass ) there is a
further delineation into categories ( Coloratura, Lyric, Spinto, Dramatic ) which help to define
each particular instrument. The Coloratura is the highest within each voice type whose extended
upper range is complimented by extreme flexibility. The Lyric is the most common of the “types.”
This instrument is recognized more for the exceptional beauty of its tone rather than its power or
range. The Spinto is a voice which combines the beauty of a lyric with the weight and power of a
Dramatic , which is the most “powerful” of the voices. The Dramatic instrument is characterized
by the combination of both incredible volume and “steely” intensity.
While the definition presented in the preceding paragraph may seem clearly outlined, many voices
combine qualities from each category, thus carving an unique niche in operatic history. Just as each
person is different from the next, so is each voice. Throughout her career Maria Callas defied
categorization as she performed and recorded roles associated with each category in the soprano
voice type. Joan Sutherland as well can be heard in recordings of soprano roles as diverse as the
coloratura Gilda in Rigoletto to the dramatic Turandot in Turandot. Below is a very brief outline of
voice types and categories with roles usually associated with the individual voice type.
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Coloratura
Lyric
Spinto
Dramatic
Norina (Don Pasquale)
Gilda (Rigoletto)
Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor)
Liu (Turandot)
Mimi (La Bohème)
Pamina (Magic Flute)
Tosca (Tosca)
Amelia (A Masked Ball)
Leonora (Il Trovatore)
Turandot (Turandot)
Norma (Norma)
Elektra (Elektra)
MezzoSoprano
Rosina (Barber of Seville)
Angelina (La Cenerentola)
Dorabella (Così fan tutte)
Carmen (Carmen)
Charlotte (Werther)
Giulietta (Hoffmann)
Santuzza (Cavalleria)
Adalgisa (Norma)
The Composer (Ariadne auf
Naxos)
Azucena (Il Trovatore)
Ulrica (A Masked Ball)
Herodias (Salome)
Tenor
Count Almaviva (Barber of Seville)
Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni)
Ferrando (Così fan tutte)
Alfredo (La Traviata)
Rodolfo (La Bohème)
Tamino (Magic Flute)
Calaf (Turandot)
Pollione (Norma)
Cavaradossi (Tosca)
Dick Johnson (Fanciulla)
Don Jose (Carmen)
Otello (Otello)
Baritone
Figaro (Barber of Seville)
Count Almavira (Le nozze di Figaro)
Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale)
Marcello (La Bohème)
Don Giovanni (Don
Giovanni)
Sharpless (Madama
Butterfly)
Verdi Baritone
Scarpia (Tosca)
Jochanaan (Salome)
Jack Rance (Fanciulla)
Bass
Bartolo (Barber of Seville)
Don Magnifico (Cenerentola)
Dr. Dulcamara (Elixir of Love)
Leporello (Don Giovanni)
Colline (La Bohème)
Figaro (Marriage of Figaro)
Buffo Bass
Soprano
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Germont (La Traviata)
Di Luna (Il Trovatore)
Rigoletto (Rigoletto)
Don Pasquale (Don
Pasquale)
Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte)
Basso Cantate
Oroveso (Norma)
Timur (Turandot)
Sarastro (Magic Flute)
Opera Production
Opera is created by the combination of myriad art forms. First and foremost are the actors who
portray characters by revealing their thoughts and emotions through the singing voice. The next
very important component is a full symphony orchestra that accompanies the singing actors and
actresses, helping them to portray the full range of emotions possible in the operatic format. The
orchestra performs in an area in front of the singers called the orchestra pit while the singers
perform on the open area called the stage. Wigs, costumes, sets and specialized lighting further
enhance these performances, all of which are designed, created, and executed by a team of highly
trained artisans.
The creation of an opera begins with a dramatic scenario crafted by a playwright or dramaturg who
alone or with a librettist fashions the script or libretto that contains the words the artists will sing.
Working in tandem, the composer and librettist team up to create a cohesive musical drama in which
the music and words work together to express the emotions revealed in the story. Following the
completion of their work, the composer and librettist entrust their new work to a conductor who
with a team of assistants (repetiteurs) assumes responsibility for the musical preparation of the work.
The conductor collaborates with a stage director (responsible for the visual component) in order to
bring a performance of the new piece to life on the stage. The stage director and conductor form
the creative spearhead for the new composition while assembling a design team which will take
charge of the actual physical production.
Set designers, lighting designers, costume designers, wig and makeup designers and even
choreographers must all be brought “on board” to participate in the creation of the new production.
The set designer combines the skills of both an artist and an architect using “blueprint” plans to
design the actual physical set which will reside on the stage, recreating the physical setting required
by the storyline. These blueprints are turned over to a team of carpenters who are specially trained
in the art of stage carpentry. Following the actual building of the set, painters following instructions
from the set designers’ original plans paint the set. As the set is assembled on the stage, the lighting
designer works with a team of electricians to throw light onto both the stage and the set in an
atmospheric as well as practical way. Using specialized lighting instruments, colored gels and a state
of the art computer, the designer along with the stage director create a “lighting plot” by writing
“lighting cues” which are stored in the computer and used during the actual performance of the
opera.
During this production period, the costume designer in consultation with the stage director has
designed appropriate clothing for the singing actors and actresses to wear. These designs are
fashioned into patterns and crafted by a team of highly skilled artisans called cutters, stitchers, and
sewers. Each costume is specially made for each singer using his/her individual measurements. The
wig and makeup designer, working with the costume designer, designs and creates wigs which will
complement both the costume and the singer as well as represent historically accurate “period”
fashions.
As the actual performance date approaches, rehearsals are held on the
newly crafted set, combined with costumes, lights, and orchestra in order
to ensure a cohesive performance that will be both dramatically and
musically satisfying to the assembled audience.
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ALTO (It.)
The lowest female voice. Also called contralto.
ARIA (It.)
pronounced (AH-ree-ah) - A song for solo voice.
BARITONE
pronounced (BARR-ah-tone) - The middle range male voice, between tenor and bass.
BASS
pronounced (BASE) - Lowest of the male voices.
COSTUME
Clothing a singer wears to portray a character.
COMPOSER
The person who writes the music.
DESIGNER
The person who creates the scenery, costumes and lights.
DUET
pronounced (do-ET) - Music written for two people to sing together, usually to
each other.
ENSEMBLE
Two or more singers singing at the same time to express their emotions and tell
the story.
LIBRETTO (It.)
pronounced (lih-BRET-oh) - The word literally means “little book.” The
text or words of an opera.
MELODY
A series of musical tones that make up a tune.
MEZZO-SOPRANO (It.)
pronounced (MEDZ-oh soh-PRANH-oh) - The middle female voice, between
soprano and contralto.
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OPERA
pronounced (AH-per-ah) - A play that uses singing instead of speaking and is
accompanied usually by piano in rehearsals and orchestra in performances.
PIANO (It.)
pronounced (pee-AN-oh) – A musical instrument used to accompany singers in
rehearsals when there is no orchestra. The orchestral score is reduced from parts for
many instruments to one part for the pianist, which combines all the important music
that must be played to give a complete sound for the singers.
RECITATIVE
pronounced (ress-it-uh-TEEVE) - A type of music using words sung with the
rhythm of natural speech with some melody added. Recitative can come before an
aria or stand alone and it gives information or moves the story along.
REHEARSAL
The time singers and musicians spend practicing before a performance.
PROPS
Objects placed on the stage, excluding scenery. Short for “properties.”
SCORE
The book which contains both the music and the text of the opera.
SET
The scenery used on the stage to show location for the action.
SOPRANO (It.)
pronounced (soh-PRANH-oh) - The highest female voice.
STAGE DIRECTOR
The person who decides how the singers will move on stage and how they will act
while they are singing their parts.
TENOR
pronounced (TEH-nor) - The highest male voice.
TRIO (It.)
pronounced (TREE-oh) - Music written for three characters to sing together.
VIBRATO (It.)
pronounced (vi-BRAH-toe) - The natural way for a voice or instrument to enlarge
its sound through a very rapid but very tiny waver in pitch.
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VOCAL RANGE
The scope of the human voice from its highest to its lowest sounds. Voices fall
into these categories:
female:
soprano-high
mezzo-soprano - middle
alto or contralto - low
male:
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tenor - high
baritone - middle
bass - low
Performance Etiquette
What
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will happen at the Concert?
You show your ticket to enter the hall.
An Usher will show you to your seat.
The musicians in the orchestra will be on stage warming-up.
The lights will dim and everyone will get very quite.
The Concertmaster, the violinist who sits in the very first chair, will walk on stage.
Everyone applauds (claps their hands).
The Concertmaster will stay standing and have the Oboe play and “A” to tune each section of the
orchestra.
When they are finished tuning, the Concertmaster will sit down and the Conductor will walk on
stage.
Everyone applauds.
The Conductor will bow and gesture to the orchestra for them to stand and bow.
The Conductor will stand on the podium, open the score, lift the baton, and the music begins!
Everyone in the audience stays quite and in their seats while the music is playing.
When the music stops and the conductor’s hands drop to his/her side, everyone applauds!
What does not happen at a concert?
 Cameras, recorders, cell phones, food, drinks, gum and candy are not allowed in the concert hall.
 Talking, playing games, getting out of your seat, annoying other audience members are not
allowed at a concert.
Vocabulary:
 Usher: The person who works for the Concert Hall and knows exactly where your seat is located.
 Concertmaster: The principal first violin who sits in the very first seat, close to the conductor and
helps to lead the orchestra.
 Applause: When the audience claps their hands for the musicians on stage to show appreciation
for their music making.
 Tune: When all the instruments in the orchestra adjust their instruments so they can play the
same sounds together.
 Sections of the Orchestra: The Orchestra is made up of 4 different sections.
1. The String Section which includes: Violins, Violas, Cellos, and Basses
2. The Woodwind Section which includes: Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, and Bassoons
3. The Brass Section which includes: Trumpets, Horns, Trombones, and Tuba
4. The Percussion Section which includes many different instruments such as the Snare Drum,
Cymbals, Bells, Timpani, and Bass Drum.
 Conductor: The conductor is the leader of the Orchestra who chooses the music,
directs the rehearsals and conducts the concerts.
 Podium: The platform that the conductor stands on so the entire orchestra can see the
baton.
 Score: The music that the conductor reads to see what everyone in the Orchestra is
supposed to be playing.
 Baton: A short stick used by the conductor to help lead the musicians. It is usually
white so the musicians can see it easily.
 Concert Etiquette: The rules that we follow to behave properly at a concert.
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34
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Discussion Questions
1. There are two worlds represented in the story. What are they?
2. How many plot levels are there?
3. What does the forest represent?
4. Who presides over the dream world?
5. What time of day does the fairies’ magic take place?
6. How many pairs of lovers or couples are represented in the play?
7. One theme of play is the presence of conflict and how it moves to resolution.
Identify the conflict in the four couples and how they resolve their conflicts.
8. Which character(s) are the agents of change?
9. The process of change or transformation is a theme of the play. What are some examples of
transformation?
10. Which part of the story is an example of the phrase, “Love is blind?”
11. What advice does Puck give the audience at the end of the play?
12. How does Mendelssohn use the orchestra to describe the characters of the play?
13. How does Mendelssohn create the sound of the fairy world?
14. How does this adaptation differ from previous adaptations? Discuss how it has combined
many different disciplines to interpret Shakespeare’s play.
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