Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Sprites. Fairies. Bring some magic dust.
Who’s on stage
It wouldn’t be a season-opening concert without our very own Royal Northern Sinfonia, Chorus and Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa. They’re joined by special guest, pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout, who returns after his incredible BBC Prom with us last summer, and two superb Samling singers making their debut performances with us, Charlotte Bowden and Jessica Cale.
What they’re playing
Be whisked away into the wondrous world of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with Mendelssohn’s very own musical version of it, plus Mozart’s serene Piano Concerto No.21.
Need to know
Price: £19 – £46
Discounts: save if you’re under 17, aged 18 – 30, a classical first timer, or a group of 10 or more people. Check the details.
Running time: 2 hours, including a 20 minute interval.
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
What you'll hear
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 (26’)
Felix Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream (complete) (58’)
Who's playing
Dinis Sousa conductor
Kristian Bezuidenhout piano
Charlotte Bowden soprano
Jessica Cale soprano
Alexander Knox narrator
Tim Burke chorus director
Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia
Royal Northern Sinfonia
What's happening in the music?
First up you’ll hear the serene sounds of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, in which the delicate fragility of the central movement (made famous by the film Elvira Madigan) contrasts with an ending that is entirely devoted to fun. Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream incorporates text from the play and transports you to the mischievous, entrancing and beguiling world of Shakespeare’s play.
Addicted to Mozart
Kristian Bezuidenhout confessed to falling in love with the music of Mozart after watching the 1984 film Amadeus, portraying the life and sometimes raucous times of the composer. He went on to create an album of the complete keyboard works of Mozart. You can hear him talking about his passion here.
