Midsummer Night's Dream / Manfred - BLU-RAY

In the Overture and Incidental Music to William Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream,' Felix Mendelssohn brings the illustrious company of elves, lovers' passions and the solitude of the forest or a moonlit night to musical life. It became a model for other literary reflections in music like Peter Tchaikovsky's 'Manfred Symphony.' It's four movements- or Inchimages,Inch as the composer himself named them- capture the world-weariness of George Byron's 'Manfred A Dramatic Poem' in music. Riccardo Chailly and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra awaken the musical imagery of both works in a colorful, fresh, and enchanting performance. This was recorded live at the Concert Hall of KKL Luzem, Lucerne Festival in August of 2017.

During creation, every new ballet seems a possible film. When developing the idea of filming A Midsummer Night's DreamInch, I insisted on planning a true ballet film which, for me, is completely different than a documentary. Within the three days of recording, we did not schedule a single complete run-through of the work. Instead, we recorded the film in sequences and with exciting camera positions which can be compared to the way one would film a drama. What we really love when watching films, is the immediacy, the vibrancy of the moment. The camera being so close, means that we don't want the dancers representing something, we don't want them presenting something, we want them simply being - InchnowInch. We want that spark of truth that springs towards us and that touches us.Inch John Neumeier

Midsummer Night's Dream [DIGITAL VIDEO DISC] Released 2017 product/publication from Bel Air Classiques