The Dream DVD (American Ballet Theatre)

Widely considered as one of the last century's most prolific and important choreographers, Frederick Ashton brought an unmistakably lyric style to British ballet. The Dream was Ashton's contribution towards Britain's celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth. In it, he condenses the plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream to the forest scenes only, focusing on the fairy kingdom of Oberon and Titania and the lovers and rustics who stumble into it one moonlit, magical night. The exquisitely calibrated choreography bears Ashton's customary hallmark of precision, lightness and fluency and demonstrates his gift for storytelling.

The one-act work, recorded live at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, California  in 2004, was staged by Anthony Dowell and Christopher Carr, produced by five-time Emmy Awards winner Judy Kinberg and directed by Matthew Diamond.

Titania: Alessandra Ferri
Oberon: Ethan Steifel
Puck: Herman Cornejo
Bottom: Julio Bragado-Young
Hermia: Stella Abrera
Lysander: Carlos Acosta
Helena: Marian Butler
Demetrius: Ethan Brown

Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Ormsby Wilkins
Arranged by John Lanchbery
Choreographer: Frederick Ashton
Director: Anthony Dowell, Christopher Carr

Picture: 16:9
Sound: PCM Stereo / DD 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Format: NTSC
Region code: 2: Europe / 5: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Pakistan, Africa (except Egypt, South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho), Central and South Asia, Mongolia, North Korea.
Duration: 54 mins
Menu Language: EN/DE/FR/SP