Romeo and Juliet is undoubtedly one of the most popular and enduring tragic love stories of all time. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s immortal tragedy, Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet adaptation of Romeo and Juliet was commissioned by the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad in 1934. The ballet tells the story of two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, who dream of a life filled with unbridled passion and fiery love in a bold, sensual, and brutal era where matters of life and death were often dealt with irrationally and in an atmosphere inflamed by passion.
Prokofiev saw the story/ballet of Romeo and Juliet as an opportunity to restore his relationship with his homeland, having left Russia in 1914 to pursue his career as a composer and virtuoso pianist in Western Europe and the United States.
Choreographer Valentina Turcu’s staging offers a vision of this era, where the most precious things were wealth, fame, and the destruction of enemies, and where young lovers dreamed of a life and love that transcended these values.
With its lush, sweeping score and intricate choreography, Romeo and Juliet remains a beloved classic of the ballet repertoire. Prokofiev’s music captures the intensity of the lovers’ emotions, from the joy of their first meeting to the tragedy of their untimely deaths. This ballet adaptation of Romeo and Juliet has been performed countless times around the world, captivating audiences with its timeless story of unrequited love and ultimate tragedy.
Source:
https://www.sng-mb.si/event/romeo-in-julija-2/?lang=en