Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Wrocław Opera
I know, I know - we all know Shakespeare inside out. But the newest premiere at Opera Wrocławska breathes fresh air into an old story while keeping it exactly what it should be: simple and beautiful.
It's no secret that I'm obsessed with this balet ensemble. Whatever they do, I would watch it day and night - but if you came even once to see them on stage, you'd know my obsession is entirely justified and, frankly, inevitable. This show only deepens that feeling. Hurrey!
The first act feels like Dallas meets High School Musical, and I loved every second of that collision. The second act turns more magical - and that's when the dancers truly ignite. They fly, jump, and spin at a speed and power that will leave you genuinely breathless.
But here's what makes this production more than a display of extraordinary technique: alongside their physical brilliance, the cast shows acting chops, freshness, and a collective energy that makes the whole thing feel like a complete and carefully crafted world. And just when you think it couldn't get any better, director Anna Hop reveals an ace up her sleeve - besides the dinosaurs, obviously - and that ace is humor. This play is funny without a single word spoken. It's clever, fast, and sunny despite the enchanted forest lurking in the background.
The cast works like a charm - every single one of them. Puck (Kei Otsuka) is an absolute delight; watching him 
is like spotting a pixie mid-flight, so light and mischievous you almost feel the frivolity on your skin. Hermia (Mizuno Toma) is soft as summer rain. Helena (Miho Okamura), with her braces and glasses, turns being a weirdo into a classy force of love. Lysander (Alessandro Ciotta) carries an unspoken vulnerability that pulls you in, while Demetrius (Daniel Agudo Gallaro) radiates the kind of power that makes you believe he'd give everything just to love. Hippolyta and Theseus (Laura Flugel and Łukasz Ożga) bring a steady, grounded warmth - a reminder that some things in this world are certain, and that certainty is its own kind of magic. Titania (Magdalena Kurilec-Malinowska), in high heels and shaking long hair, simply owns the stage. And Oberon (Armando Barros) conducts the whole adventure like someone who has always known exactly how this story ends.
Because an adventure it is. Humorous, fresh, deeply rooted in heritage, and danced to perfection. Light, playful, and beautifully performed - this is Shakespeare as it should feel: alive.
Photo: W. Palacz
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