Ballet Arizona To Debut Full-Length Production Of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Get transported to a magical world of fairy tricksters, love potions and hilarious antics as Ballet Arizona presents its reimagined take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream Feb. 13-16 with live accompaniment by The Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a spectacle for theater and ballet fans alike.

Set to Artistic Director Ib Andersen's critically-acclaimed choreography, the masterpiece comes to life with all-new sets, new costumes, and the only professional ballet company in the Valley. Andersen celebrates his 20th anniversary as the artistic visionary of Ballet Arizona this season, and it was befitting to have one of his most beloved works reimagined to celebrate the milestone in his career.

The last Ballet Arizona full-length production created of this magnitude the creation of The Nutcracker in 2006, which is now acclaimed as one of the top 3 productions in the country by The New York Times. Earlier this year, Andersen premiered the dramatic work The Firebird to critical acclaim. A Midsummer Night's Dream shows the lighter side of ballet and showcases Andersen's spectacular ability to tell tales through movement.

"We have never undertaken a project this massive in our own shops before, and it something of which I am very proud," Andersen said. "To witness what we are able to do and build here is beyond anything I ever thought possible. In our home studios each day, I coach our talented and beautiful dancers in rehearsals, work alongside our costume shop team made up of local artisans who are building more than 80 costumes from scratch, and work in our scene shop with the designers and production team to build the sets for this new production. To be able to create all of this within our very own walls is a 'dream' unto itself."

Get an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the making this production by attending the Studio Spotlight on January 31. Get to know the dancers and their characters at A Midsummer Night's Dream's Pre and Post Performance Chats on select dates. Meet 45 minutes before show time in Symphony Hall's theater to learn more about the artistic vision that went into the creation of Andersen's fresh take on the 424-year-old story. Pre-show Chats occur on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6:15 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 14 at 6:45 p.m. A Post-show chat will occur on Saturday, Feb. 15 following the 2 p.m. matinee performance.

Tickets start at $34 with discounts offered for seniors, college students, active military and groups. Purchase tickets by calling 602.381.1096 or visiting balletaz.org. This production is sponsored in part by SRP and the Ballet Arizona Board of Directors.