Alexander Ekman, internationally renowned star choreographer and certainly no stranger to the Dortmund public, has been inspired by the customs and rituals of his Nordic homeland to produce a creation that is celebrated throughout the world.
The 2015 premiere at the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm was a true media event. One of the country’s most famous composers conjured up a score that is unparalleled in terms of its mythical energy and beguiling sensuality.
Summer solstice: Man’s natural longing for light and sun merges with ancient myths and legends. On a night dedicated to unbridled love, we pay homage to nature, vitality and existence.
On a night such as this, it may very well occur that the boundaries between the world of mortals and that of the supernatural are crossed. Whether or not our fantastic dreams are in truth much more fantastic realities, can no longer be said for certain.
Inspired by Shakespeare, the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman as a poetic mentor, and Federico Fellini as a bizarrely exuberant guide, Alexander Ekman succeeds in creating a true miracle of ballet: He takes dance back to its cultic and magical roots.
The dancer thus becomes part of a choreographic primeval landscape in which people and mythical creatures connect.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – an invitation for us to join in as dreamers on the fine line between reality and illusion, and to journey with passion through the light and dark spheres of our own existence.