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- Mendelssohn was 17 when he wrote his first Midsummer Night’s Dream music, his Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
- Felix and his sister Fanny loved reading Shakespeare together as children. In 1826 he wrote to her that he would soon “dream the Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and about a month later he had composed his Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture (his Op. 21).
- Mendelssohn’s incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream (his Op. 61) was composed for a production of the play presented in Potsdam in 1843, to celebrate the birthday of King Wilhelm IV of Prussia, who commissioned the work. More performances followed at the Berlin Schauspielhaus.
- Mendelssohn reused his 1826 concert overture and added 12 more numbers and a finale to illustrate significant scenes in the production.
- Mendelssohn tied the whole work together by using motifs from his 1826 concert overture throughout the movements of his incidental music.
