The Story Orchestra: Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This story takes us to Athens where the Duke and Queen are to be married. However, not everyone is as happy, and on one midsummer’s night, mischievous fairies, lively actors and young lovers get caught up in a series of pranks and events in the nearby woods.

As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes of Shakespeare’s most beloved and comedic play, press the buttons on each page to hear 10 excerpts from the incidental music! Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sounds, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.

At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Felix Mendelssohn, with details about his composition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera, and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano.

Manufacturer’s note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.

Titles in Series:

The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals
The Story Orchestra: Swan Lake
The Story Orchestra: Sleeping Beauty
The Story Orchestra: In the Hall of the Mountain King
The Story Orchestra: The Planets
The Story Orchestra: Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream