Les Songes d'une nuit d'été is a contemporary ballet choreographed by Guillaume Côté, reimagining Shakespeare's classic comedy through a modern lens centered on a weekend wedding celebration that descends into romantic chaos. Four young lovers find their relationships upended by a mischievous figure and a magical elixir in a wild landscape that shifts between raw realism and enchanted dreamscape.
At the heart of this work is a profound question: what happens to love over time? Côté, a former principal dancer, explores the wear of long-term relationships, the fragility of bonds, and the persistence of desire despite jealousy and misunderstanding — all through a sharp, physically grounded choreographic language rooted in classical rigour.
The score weaves together works by Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, Max Richter, Steve Reich, and Johann Strauss II, conducted by Dina Gilbert with the Orchestre des Grands Ballets. Sets are designed by Michael Gianfrancesco, costumes by Rémi Van Bochove, and lighting by Sonoyo Nishikawa.
Tickets are priced from $99 to $175, taxes and fees included. This performance takes place on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 20:00 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal.