Romeo and Juliet
And when it comes to romance and passion, no story has endured like Romeo and Juliet. Ballet choreographers have staged over two dozen versions since 1785, and for good reason: as James Monahan wrote in the notes for a 1984 staging by the Royal Ballet, “Romeo and Juliet…is essentially a lyrical Pas de deux, and lyrical Pas de deux are ballet’s home ground, its prime business.” In the 20th century, over a dozen versions of Romeo and Juliet have been choreographed to Sergey Prokofiev’s powerful 1935 score, originally conceived to accompany a (thankfully, never produced) ballet with a happy ending. By the time choreographer Leonid Lavrosky premiered his version at the Kirov in 1940, Prokofiev had cut the happy ending and added dark undertones to create an orchestral piece as rich and heavy as a 14th-century tapestry. Since then, choreographers such as Frederick Ashton, Rudolf Nureyev, and Michael Smuin have set ballets to Prokofiev’s music.
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Ethan Brown played a compellingly angry Tybalt, and Johan Renvall gave his all to the role of the gallant but foolish Mercutio (and skillfully maneuvered through one of the longest death scenes in the history of theater). In lesser hands, MacMillan’s dramatic choreography could easily have slipped into melodrama. But American Ballet Theatre seems to understand the subtleties of this ballet, consistently delivering a strong production genuinely worthy of a standing ovation.
