Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Bolshoi Ballet’s ROMEO AND JULIET
Sergei Prokofiev | Ballet in Two Acts
Choreography by Yuri Grigorovich | Estimated running time (subject to change): 168 minutes including
one intermission
Romeo and Juliet, “one of the greatest of all love stories…and one of the most brilliant ballet scores ever
written” (Moscow Times), is presented with fresh passion in Yuri Grigorovich’s version from the Bolshoi,
which he originally staged in 1978 with his wife, the prima ballerina Natalia Bessmertnova, as Juliet. After
her death in 2008, he revisited Romeo and Juliet; today’s revival reflects Grigorovich’s tender
remembrances for his own beloved Juliet, accompanied by Sergei Prokofiev’s passionate score.
CAST
Romeo: Alexander Volchkov
Juliet: Anna Nikulina
Signor Capulet: Vitaly Biktimorov
Signor Montague: Alexei Loparevich
Signora Capulet: Kristina Karasyova
Tybalt, Signora Capulet’s Nephew: Mikhail Lobukhin
Mercutio, friend to Romeo: Andrei Bolotin
Duke of Verona: Andrei Sitnikov
Count Paris: Vladislav Lantratov
Friar Lawrence: Alexei Loparevich
Juliet’s Nurse: Anna Antropova
Libretto by Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Radlov, Adrian Piotrovsky after the play of the same name by William
Shakespeare in Yuri Grigorovich’s version
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Yuri Grigorovich
Assistant choreographer: Vasily Vorokhobko
Scenery and costumes: Simon Virsaladze
Lighting designer: Mikhail Sokolov
Conductor: Andrei Anikhanov
With the Orchestra of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia
With the Bolshoi soloists and the Bolshoi Corps de Ballet
Performed on May 12, 2013.
“one of the greatest of all love stories…and one of the most brilliant ballet scores ever written for its
music” - Raymond Stults, The Moscow Times
“a tale told with cinematic swiftness” – Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times
PROGRAM NOTEYuri Grigorovich: After being accepted into the Leningrad Ballet School in 1946, Yuri Grigorovich went on to become a soloist at the Kirov Ballet of St. Petersburg where he stayed until 1962. He joined the Bolshoi Theatre in 1964 where he was Artistic Director until 1995. After the death of his wife, the great ballerina Natalia Bessmertnova, on February 19, 2008, he was offered the opportunity to return to the Bolshoi again in the capacity of ballet master and choreographer. His most famous works are Nutcracker,
Spartacus and Ivan the Terrible.
Based on Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet is one of the most popular ballets in the world. Nevertheless, its creation was difficult. Originally commissioned by the Leningrad Kirov Ballet in 1934, Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet did not premiere at the Kirov stage until 1940 and at the Bolshoi until 1946. Indeed, the two companies first refused the theme, then the steps, which ballet dancers declared undanceable and the music, unlistenable. Today, this ballet is now considered to be Prokofiev’s most valued piece of work because of the high melodic inspiration, the great variety of rhythms and the memorable main characters. In 1978, Yuri Grigorovich revived Sergei Prokofiev’s production for the Paris Opera, which opened later at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1979. Today’s choreographic version is a revival of this first production. It premiered on April 21, 2010 at the Bolshoi Theatre. In this version, Shakespeare’s tragedy has become extremely abstract. Shakespeare’s world has been generalized, cleared of everyday matters liberating the stage of any details not connected with the main theme. Grigorovich developed the main character from his personal memories of Natalia Bessmertnova, his very
first Juliet (1978), and main inspiration.
SYNOPSIS
To Prince Escalus’ dismay, the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues brings bloodshed to the city of
Verona. Romeo, heir of the Montagues, is distraught as his love for Rosaline is not returned. To console
him, his friend Mercutio persuades him to attend the ball Capulet has organized to find possible suitors
for his daughter Juliet. Romeo attends the ball incognito at the Capulet house. However, when Romeo
meets Juliet, the two fall instantly in love with each other. They are overwhelmed when they discover they
belong to two rival families…
Sergei Prokofiev | Ballet in Two Acts
Choreography by Yuri Grigorovich | Estimated running time (subject to change): 168 minutes including
one intermission
Romeo and Juliet, “one of the greatest of all love stories…and one of the most brilliant ballet scores ever
written” (Moscow Times), is presented with fresh passion in Yuri Grigorovich’s version from the Bolshoi,
which he originally staged in 1978 with his wife, the prima ballerina Natalia Bessmertnova, as Juliet. After
her death in 2008, he revisited Romeo and Juliet; today’s revival reflects Grigorovich’s tender
remembrances for his own beloved Juliet, accompanied by Sergei Prokofiev’s passionate score.
CAST
Romeo: Alexander Volchkov
Juliet: Anna Nikulina
Signor Capulet: Vitaly Biktimorov
Signor Montague: Alexei Loparevich
Signora Capulet: Kristina Karasyova
Tybalt, Signora Capulet’s Nephew: Mikhail Lobukhin
Mercutio, friend to Romeo: Andrei Bolotin
Duke of Verona: Andrei Sitnikov
Count Paris: Vladislav Lantratov
Friar Lawrence: Alexei Loparevich
Juliet’s Nurse: Anna Antropova
Libretto by Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Radlov, Adrian Piotrovsky after the play of the same name by William
Shakespeare in Yuri Grigorovich’s version
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Yuri Grigorovich
Assistant choreographer: Vasily Vorokhobko
Scenery and costumes: Simon Virsaladze
Lighting designer: Mikhail Sokolov
Conductor: Andrei Anikhanov
With the Orchestra of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia
With the Bolshoi soloists and the Bolshoi Corps de Ballet
Performed on May 12, 2013.
“one of the greatest of all love stories…and one of the most brilliant ballet scores ever written for its
music” - Raymond Stults, The Moscow Times
“a tale told with cinematic swiftness” – Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times
PROGRAM NOTEYuri Grigorovich: After being accepted into the Leningrad Ballet School in 1946, Yuri Grigorovich went on to become a soloist at the Kirov Ballet of St. Petersburg where he stayed until 1962. He joined the Bolshoi Theatre in 1964 where he was Artistic Director until 1995. After the death of his wife, the great ballerina Natalia Bessmertnova, on February 19, 2008, he was offered the opportunity to return to the Bolshoi again in the capacity of ballet master and choreographer. His most famous works are Nutcracker,
Spartacus and Ivan the Terrible.
Based on Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet is one of the most popular ballets in the world. Nevertheless, its creation was difficult. Originally commissioned by the Leningrad Kirov Ballet in 1934, Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet did not premiere at the Kirov stage until 1940 and at the Bolshoi until 1946. Indeed, the two companies first refused the theme, then the steps, which ballet dancers declared undanceable and the music, unlistenable. Today, this ballet is now considered to be Prokofiev’s most valued piece of work because of the high melodic inspiration, the great variety of rhythms and the memorable main characters. In 1978, Yuri Grigorovich revived Sergei Prokofiev’s production for the Paris Opera, which opened later at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1979. Today’s choreographic version is a revival of this first production. It premiered on April 21, 2010 at the Bolshoi Theatre. In this version, Shakespeare’s tragedy has become extremely abstract. Shakespeare’s world has been generalized, cleared of everyday matters liberating the stage of any details not connected with the main theme. Grigorovich developed the main character from his personal memories of Natalia Bessmertnova, his very
first Juliet (1978), and main inspiration.
SYNOPSIS
To Prince Escalus’ dismay, the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues brings bloodshed to the city of
Verona. Romeo, heir of the Montagues, is distraught as his love for Rosaline is not returned. To console
him, his friend Mercutio persuades him to attend the ball Capulet has organized to find possible suitors
for his daughter Juliet. Romeo attends the ball incognito at the Capulet house. However, when Romeo
meets Juliet, the two fall instantly in love with each other. They are overwhelmed when they discover they
belong to two rival families…
Runtime
150
Language
English
Played at
Claremont
Claremont 5
Pasadena
Playhouse 7
Santa Monica
Monica Film Center
Encino
Town Center 5
North Hollywood
NoHo 7
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