The Ultimate Ballet Version of Romeo and Juliet

Photo：Stuttgarter Ballett

Of all the versions of Romeo and Juliet, John Cranko's is the most popular for its vivid portrayal of the main characters' passions. Jürgen Rose's detailed and beautiful costumes and artwork and the fresh and innovative pas de deux and other choreography, all devised to match Prokofiev's exciting score perfectly, have ensured that this production remains as brilliantly impressive as ever, half a century after its premiere.

John Cranko was only in his early thirties when he choreographed this work for the Stuttgart Ballet in 1962, the second year of his tenure as the company's artistic director. The work received widespread acclaim from its first performance, and it was a major factor in the success of the ballet company that came to be known as "The Miracle of Stuttgart."

Although the ballet is based on Shakespeare's drama, perhaps the world's best-known love story, the leisurely way in which the story unfolds--without the least bit of unnecessary action or anxiety--and the clearly distinct flavor of the dancing in each scene show us what an unusual and peerless master of the story ballet Cranko was. This can be seen not only in such emotionally evocative passages as the balcony scene pas de deux, in which the two leads express the exhilaration of love, and the pas de deux that portrays the sad wistfulness of parting, but also in the stately and magnificent staging of the ball at the Capulets' house and the vibrant and acrobatic dance sequences in the carnival scene. These scenes leave the audience with lasting memories of the company's ensemble work. The portrayals of Tybalt, Juliet's parents, and other secondary roles help us share in Cranko's superb empathy for the characters and make the ballet even more appealing.

Text: Hiroko Shindo