NYCB Vol. 11 No. 27 - A Midsummer Night's Dream

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oberon and Titania are King and Queen of the fairies. Balanchine was very specific in his use of stage effects to characterize the two characters...

Edward Villella and Melissa Hayden

Photos by Fred Fehl, 1962

Harry Ransom Center

Jacques d’Amboise wrote, “Mr. B had described to me his plans for the premiere of his full-length Midsummer Night's Dream. The tall and regal Diana Adams would be his Titania, and a canopy of fat leaves created by the set designer would be lowered to make her appear even taller. ‘She will look like giantess, big, beautiful.’ Her choreography would be slow, with long, sweeping movements, and her handmaidens, the tallest girls in the corps. Whereas when Oberon was onstage, a new canopy of leaves above would be smaller and suspended as high as possible, so the compact Eddie Villella would seem diminutive by contrast. His choreography would be quick, electric, virtuoso, and buzzing all over the stage. To further enhance the effect, Oberon would command a court of tiny creatures of the forest, butterflies and elves danced by bevies of children from SAB, to contrast with Titania's tall entourage. But as it happened, when it all came to pass, Diana didn't make the premiere. Melissa Hayden replaced her as Titania. Before Balanchine died, he left Midsummer Night's Dream as his gift to Diana, whom I never saw dance the role. Every time Diana opted out, Melissa came to the rescue.”

--I Was a Dancer by Jacques d'Amboise

Photos by Fred Fehl, 1962

Harry Ransom Center

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