Romeo & Juliet - Royal Ballet

In the framework of the "Royal Opera House Cinema" programme, through which the Rialto Theatre broadcasts outstanding ballet performances from the world renowned Royal Ballet, and the Covent Garden Theatre in London, ballet lovers in Cyprus will have the chance to enjoy «Romeo and Juliet», on the 14th February.

Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s poignant setting of Sergey Prokofiev’s classic score draws out the emotional and psychological intensity of the tale. Romeo and Juliet contains three passionate pas de deux: the lovers’ first meeting, the famous balcony scene and the devastating final tragedy, in which Romeo dances desperately with the lifeless Juliet. The story is set against a wonderful evocation of 16th-century Verona, and includes a bustling marketplace that erupts into a violent sword fight, and a lavish ball held in an elegant mansion.

MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet first arrived at Covent Garden in 1965. Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn took the title roles on the opening night. Fonteyn and Nureyev’s performance had a rapturous reception, with 43 curtain calls and almost forty minutes of applause. The ballet has been at the heart of the Company’s repertory ever since, amassing more than four hundred performances. This classic production has been toured around the world and in 2011 was adapted for arena-scale performances at the O2 Arena.

The Story: Romeo and Juliet fall passionately in love, but their families are sworn enemies. The lovers marry in secret before Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, in a fight and is banished from the city. Juliet’s family arrange for her to marry Paris. To escape, Juliet takes a potion that makes her appear lifeless. Romeo does not receive the message explaining her plan; thinking her dead, he goes to her tomb and kills himself. She wakes, sees Romeo’s corpse and stabs herself.

Choreography Kenneth MacMillan, Music Sergey Prokofiev
Designer Nicholas Georgiadis, Lighting Designer John B. Read
Performed by The Royal Ballet, Conductor Koen Kessels 

Reviews
★★★★★ "Stephen McRae and Sarah Lamb danced the title roles, but thrilling as they are, it is finely tuned production values that breathe truth and beauty into the performance." Express  

★★★★ "Star-crossed lovers with a licence to thrill. Everything that happens on stage has a purpose in this terrific production of Romeo and Juliet." Evening Standard 

★★★ "Gary Avis’s charismatic Tybalt steals the show in this 50th-anniversary production of MacMillan’s ballet". Guardian 


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