GETANZTE LEIDENSCHAFT
Begeisternd waren schon die früheren Gastspiele des Aterballetto. (...) durch Mauro Bigonzetti hat sich auch der Tanzstil der 1979 gegründeten Tanzkompanie gewandelt und weit mehr dem zeitgenössischen Tanz geöffnet. Gleich geblieben ist aber die fabelhafte Virtuosität der Tänzer, überwiegend Solotänzer, die aus so renommierten Kompanien wie dem Nederlands Dans Theater oder von Maurice Béjart zum Aterballetto kamen. (...) Wie der irische Pop-Komponist Elvis Costello in seiner eigens fürs Aterballetto komponierten Partitur nehmen auch Bühnenbild und Kostüme das Spiel mit Sinnlichkeit, Traum und Irrealität auf. (...)
Und dann welche Dynamik, welcher Einfallsreichtum! Wilder noch als bei den Liebenden sind die Leidenschaften bei Oberon und Titania (Cyril Griset und Ina Broeck) ­ atemberaubend getanzt in einem Zauberwald...
Schwäbische Zeitung, 3.12.2001

CUNNING DANCING ON TREE TRUNKS
Once expressed in words by William Shakespeare, now translated into movement and pure corporal expression by Mauro Bigonzetti and Aterballetto. On Saturday, the dance ensemble from Italy astounded and thrilled the audience in Graf-Zeppelin-Haus with its new production – just as Shakespeare confuses and fascinates us with his lavish and convoluted comedy.(…) Enthusiastic and very, very long applause.
Südkurier, 3.12.2001

FANTASTICAL INTERPLAY
All of the elements flow together with wondrous ease and the whole thing turns into a fantastical interplay. Mauro Bigonzetti is not the first choreographer to discover the dancer’s soul in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But it’s unlikely that anyone before him has ever taken Shakespeare quite so literally, and from this subordination obtained aesthetic independence. (…) The vocabulary of movement is temperamental, original and inexhaustibly imaginative.
Die Rheinpfalz, 24.11.2001

A distinct formal elegance hallmarks this production, which is full of rigour and precision. Bigonzetti’s ”A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is brought alive by a sure sense of spectacle, thanks to impressive scenery by Fabrizio Plessi, the master of modernity (…), who, in his own words, offers us ”absolute and horizontal forest”. His forest conveys mobility or instability, is opened, broken into, or divided in accordance with the unusual, timeless labyrinth in which the various strands of the tale are resolved.
An effective performance with an interesting approach and, as always, an outstanding interpretation by the dazzling dancers of the Aterballetto company.
Domenica Rigotti, L’AVENIRE, 2. Nov 2000

Bigonzetti deliberately has the two young pairs of lovers, dressed in black, perform in a contemporary, highly expressive dance style. While he prefers a rather academic, acrobatic style for Titania and Oberon, he characterises Puck (Véronique Dian Jean, a striking performance) by tortuous, provocative gesticulation. Puck is made to dance wearing a boot on one foot and a block shoe on the other. As always with Bigonzetti, the pas-de-deux and solos are powerfully expressive, skilfully reflecting both presumptuous passion and devastating love.
The members of this modern, young and dynamic company amply display their excellence.
Sergio Trombetta, LA STAMPA, November 2000

Bigonzetti treats Shakespeare’s play soberly and strikingly, sometimes nobly, sometimes dynamically, now with wit. now with malice and sensuality, and additionally enriches it with artistic license.
Costello’s excellent score (a mixture of jazz, romantic and triumphal styles) is an ideal accompaniment. This successful transposition of the comedy offers numerous moments of pure dance. Bigonzetti uses both the possibilities offered by modern dance technique and the academic tradition (the fairies dance with one bare foot and one wearing a block shoe). Yet most convincing of all is Bigonzetti’s serious attempt, after all the numerous abstract choreographies he has created, at trying his hand at a more personal, narrative approach.
Luna Bombardi, IL RESTO DEL CARLINO, 2 Nov 2000

The power-based principle of order, the freedom of the forest, the presence of the people – an innovation – the magical maze in which, among others, the Athenian artisans get lost as they rehearse their performance of Pyramus and Thisbe, the numerous signs by the fool Puck, the taste for forbidden fruit – in this outstanding version by Aterballeto, all these elements from Shakespeare’s comedy are borne along by a skilful interweaving of the various theatrical aspects: the confusion of ideas, Fabrizio Plessi’s excellent designs and the ultra modern choreography blend perfectly with the rhythmic, lively music by composer Elvis Costello, which is performed by the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale Bologna conducted by Carlo Tenan.
Mario Pasi, CORRIERE DELLA SERA, 1. November 2000

This is the first ballet on the theme of this magical Shakespearean comedy which doesn’t use Mendelssohn’s music, but instead an original score by the famous Irish singer/composer, Elvis Costello (…)
Written for a 65-strong ensemble, Costello’s musical composition is a catchy, flowing ”fantastical jazz” which he wrote in close collaboration with the choreographers.
In the space of 90 minutes, the choreographers succeed in presenting Shakespeare’s comedy in an utterly new perspective - down to the last detail, and with astonishing clarity, humour and sensuality.
The duo between the queen of the fairies and the artisan as they lie on the floor, their movements viewed through a diagonally placed mirror, is outstanding – and there’s a highly unusual performance from the two pairs of lovers as they hang by their feet.
This is original and dynamic choreography demanding plenty of muscle (…), and featuring numerous symbolic allusions, such as the solo by the little girl who tries on Titania’s block shoes, snatched by Puck, and thus discovers classical dance (…). The set design by artist Fabrizio Plessi is beautiful and highly creative…
Renè Servin, LE FIGARO, 3.Nov 2000

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