In 1826, German composer Felix Mendelssohn arranged music to Shakespeare’s famous comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The iconic play features an array of subplots and adventures, from a group of actors rehearsing a play in the woods, to the hijinks of forest fairies.
The Austin Symphony Orchestra is taking the story and blending classical music, mariachi, dance, and even reggaeton in its world premier of Midsummer in Marfa: A West Texas Fairy Tale.
Over 12,000 Austin fourth and fifth graders will see the bilingual and multi-genre adaptation part of the symphony’s annual Young People’s Concerts.
Jeremy Brimhall, director of education and community engagement with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, said the production aims to present something culturally relevant to a majority-Hispanic body of students.
“Going the extra mile to try to really incorporate some things that might be familiar to them, but also trying to walk a fine line where the symphony orchestra is still well represented in the show,” he said.
San Antonio-based composer Federico Chavez-Blanco composed and arranged music for the production.
“Now is the time to showcase part of our culture, part of the classical stage … and give the kids an opportunity to enjoy, in just one show, four interpretations of art,” Chavez-Blanco said.
In a true Austin-San Antonio collaboration, the production also includes Austin ballet and theater groups, a reggaeton artist, and San Antonio’s all-female mariachi group, Mariachi Las Alteñas.
Fronteras also spoke with Angela Campos, musical director of Mariachi Las Alteñas; and Pablo Zamora, the Austin Symphony’s assistant conductor.
Midsummer in Marfa: A West Texas Fairy Tale will run March 3-5 at Austin’s Long Center for the Performing Arts.
