Shakespeare on pointe with couture costumes? Christian Lacroix said 'hold my champagne.'
Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, become caught up in a domestic quarrel between the king of the elves and the queen of the fairies which results in the intervention of the mischievous Puck and his magic potion along with a troupe of amateur actors. The denouement is celebrated in the form of a grand virtuoso entertainment. One of George Balanchine’s rare narrative ballets, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is entering the Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire. The sets and costumes for this production have been designed by another magician of the stage, Christian Lacroix.
Costume
Christian Lacroix went FULL maximalist fairy drag. Icon behavior.
Direction
Balanchine's only narrative ballet—he finally told a story!
Production
Paris Opera Ballet's corps de ballet moving like one magnificent organism.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Balanchine hated narrative ballets—this 1962 work was his reluctant concession to storytelling, and he never made another.
Christian Lacroix designed these costumes during his 2017 return to haute couture, making this a collision of two masters who defined excess in their fields.
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