Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a musical embodiment of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, capturing its enchanting spirit and whimsical characters with remarkable finesse. Mendelssohn first encountered Shakespeare’s play as a teenager and, inspired by its magical world, composed the famous Overture at just 17. Sixteen years later, in 1842, he was commissioned by King Frederick William IV of Prussia to expand upon this youthful masterpiece with a full set of incidental music for a royal production of the play.

The resulting score, comprising fourteen movements, seamlessly blends Mendelssohn’s earlier Overture with new music that mirrors the play’s shifting moods and scenes. 

Mendelssohn’s orchestration is deft and imaginative, employing a classical clarity that belies its Romantic era origins. The music’s lightness and wit perfectly parallel Shakespeare’s text, from the mischievous fairy dances to the stately processions of the Athenian court. The score’s enduring popularity lies in its ability to transport listeners to a world where reality and fantasy intermingle, all underpinned by Mendelssohn’s melodic inventiveness and refined craftsmanship.