The curtain rises, revealing an open stage where wheat is being harvested. The Midsummer festivities are in full swing! There is much laughter, dancing and drinking in this joyous celebration of life. But as twilight sets in, the lines between fantasy and reality become blurred. Anything is possible in this supernatural world between worlds, and many things happen that the mind cannot explain: tables levitate as if by magic, people suddenly find themselves flying through the air, large fish glide around the scenery, and the stage is transformed into an enchanted forest. As human identity becomes entangled with myths and legends, everybody is caught up in an exuberant celebration of nature. By the end, it’s no longer certain whether the fantastical world of our dreams is really stranger than reality itself.
Between 20 and 26 June, people in Sweden traditionally gather to celebrate the longest days of the year. These festivities have deep roots and are inextricably linked with a wealth of time-honoured customs and traditions. Many Swedish artists try to bring the magic of Midsummer into their art. Alexander Ekman is one of them. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he captures this unique festive spirit with spellbinding panache, interweaving it with aspects of human existence and (self-)perception.
A celebration of freedom and carefree vitality ensues, where the joy of being human resonates
in harmony with nature.
Alexander Ekman is an internationally acclaimed choreographer. His works have been performed by prestigious ballet companies such as Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, the Boston Ballet, the Nederlands Dans Theater and the Royal Swedish Ballet. He is known for his innovative approach to ballet, and for his collaborations with the Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson. Karlsson has written the music for some of Ekman’s most iconic choreographic creations, including Tyll, A Swan Lake and Play — and the ballet A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which received its premiere at the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm in 2015 and was subsequently taken into the repertory of the Ballet Dortmund, where it has been captivating audiences since the 2019/20 season.
Helena Sturm · Translation: Sebastian Smallshaw
