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Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream / Ferri, Bolle, Murru

Mendelssohn / Balanchine / Lsct / Kabaretti
Release Date: 02/22/2011 
Label:  Arthaus Musik   Catalog #: 107203  
Composer:  Felix Mendelssohn
Performer:  Irina Kapanadze,  Ketevan Kemoklidze
Conductor:  Nir Kabaretti
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra
Number of Discs: 1 
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Notes and Editorial Reviews



MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night’s Dream • Nir Kabaretti, cond; Alessandra Ferri ( Titania ); Roberto Bolle ( Oberon ); Massimo Murru ( Titiania’s Partner ); Riccardo Massimi (Puck ); Deborah Gismondi ( Hermia ); Gilda Gelati ( Helena ); Vittorio Read more D’Amato ( Demetrius ); Gianni Ghisleni ( Lysander ); Sabrina Brazzo ( Hippolyta ); Matteo Buongiorno ( Theseus ); Camillo Di Pompo ( Bottom ); Marta Romagna; Mick Zeni ( Pas de deux ); George Balanchine (choreographer); La Scala Ballet & O • ARTHAUS 107 203 (DVD: 104:00) Live: Milan 2/2007


Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream has inspired masterpieces from two of the 20th century’s most important choreographers (which has not discouraged others from trying). This is the second DVD of Balanchine’s version (see Fanfare 31:4 for Andrew Quint’s take), while Frederick Ashton’s Dream has been filmed only once. Most unusually, neither work has been filmed by the company with which it and the choreographer have indissoluble links. Balanchine has taken the Mendelssohn score in its entirety and used other music by the composer to fill out the ballet. None of the pieces is chopped up but somehow he found the way to tell us the story with clarity, dispatching the details in the first act. The second act is devoted to the wedding celebrations with a return at the end to show us the reconciliation of Titania and Oberon and Puck delivering his epilogue. The Scala forces include such stars as Alessandra Ferri (also Titania in the DVD of the Ashton) and Roberto Bolle, who inhabit their roles of Titania and Oberon while tossing off the difficulties of the choreography. Riccardo Massimi’s Puck is a worthy foil to his master Oberon, cavorting nonstop when he is on stage. The lovers and Bottom and his companions contribute with verve to the storytelling. Marta Romagna and Mick Zeni give the pas de deux in act II an élan, further enhanced when the three marital couples join in the final section. If there are still some who think that Balanchine is all abstraction and/or classicism, this is a convenient reminder that he was no slouch at telling a story. Almost 50 years after its creation, Midsummer Night’s Dream retains its freshness and vitality. Highly recommended.


FANFARE: Joel Kasow


Titania - Alessandra Ferri
Oberon - Roberto Bolle
Titania's partner - Massimo Murru
Puck - Riccardo Massimi
Hermia - Deborah Gismondi
Helena - Gilda Gelati
Demetrius - Vittorio D'Amato
Lysander - Gianni Ghisleni
Hippolyta - Sabrina Brazzo
Theseus - Matteo Buongiorno
Bottom - Camillo Di Pompo
Moth - Sophie Sarrote

Act Two: Pas de deux - Marta Romagna, Mick Zeni

Irina Kapanadze, soprano
Kete van Kemoklidze, mezzo-soprano
Ballet and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Nir Kabaretti, conductor

Restaged by Patricia Neary, Sara Leland, and Nanette Glushak
George Balanchine, choreography

Recorded at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, February 2007.

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Booklet notes: English, French, German
Running time: 104 mins
No. of DVDs: 1
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Works on This Recording

1. Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61 by Felix Mendelssohn
Performer:  Irina Kapanadze (Soprano), Ketevan Kemoklidze (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:  Nir Kabaretti
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1842; Germany 

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 1 Customer Review )
 Favoloso! January 25, 2013 By Daniele Patelli (Granarolo dell'Emilia, Bologna) See All My Reviews "Un'interpretazione maiuscola di tutta la compagine, difficile dire chi è il migliore, sicuramente Bolle e la Ferri esprimono il meglio della loro arte, ma altrettanto sicuramente anche il resto degli artisti non sono da meno, da vedere e rivedere per qualche ora di vero entusisamo musicale." Report Abuse
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