Premiering in 1962, George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream transports William Shakespeare’s classic comedy about the “transformative power of love” to the ballet stage, with all the enchantment and impish delights intact. As NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton notes, the score is an essential ingredient in this ballet's spell: “Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most remarkable examples of music inspired by literature, and a brilliant mix of romantic imagination and classical form." Join us for a week of magic, mischief, and romance in the enchanted woods of George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, closing the season May 27 – June 1: nycballet.com/midsummer Photos of Suki Schorer, Suzanne Farrell, and Arthur Mitchell courtesy New York City Ballet Archives. (fb)

#TBT George Balanchine coaching Edward Villella in rehearsal for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Villella originated the role of Oberon in 1962. Catch today's Oberon in Balanchine's enchanting take on Shakespeare's classic tale, onstage May 27-June 1: nycballet.com/midsummer Photo: Martha Swope (fb)