It is love at first sight – and it cannot be. The lovers are granted only one night together; after that, the hatred of their families tears William Shakespeare’s famous couple apart forever. Shakespeare’s tragedy about the feuding Montague and Capulet families, whose children find love and overcome their deep-seated hatred, has inspired countless artists. John Cranko also took on this timeless story in 1962 – it would become his first major success and one of his most beloved ballets. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s overwhelming music and in Jürgen Rose’s opulent sets, the drama unfolds on the sun-drenched streets of Verona, as if sprung from an Italian Renaissance painting.
Moving pas de deux, dramatic sword fights, magnificent balls, and exuberant carnival scenes bring Renaissance Verona to life. Cranko portrays his characters with great clarity: the dreamy Romeo, the passionate Juliet, the fun-loving Mercutio, and the coldly determined Tybalt. From the dizzying heights of young love, the audience plunges with the protagonists into a vortex of senseless violence, culminating in a shattering death.
Moving pas de deux, dramatic sword fights, magnificent balls, and exuberant carnival scenes bring Renaissance Verona to life. Cranko portrays his characters with great clarity: the dreamy Romeo, the passionate Juliet, the fun-loving Mercutio, and the coldly determined Tybalt. From the dizzying heights of young love, the audience plunges with the protagonists into a vortex of senseless violence, culminating in a shattering death.
Synopsis
Act I
Scene 1
As day breaks in Verona, Romeo, son of Montague, is found declaring his love to the fair Rosaline. With the sunrise the market place fills with townspeople among whom are members of two rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Tempers flare and a quarrel develops. The Duke of Verona appears and warns the two factions that death will be the ultimate punishment if the feud does not stop. Romeo and his friends Benvolio and Mercutio make reluctant peace with Tybalt, a kinsman of the Capulets.
Scene 2
Juliet receives her first ball dress from her mother, Lady Capulet, and learns that she is to meet the nobleman Paris to whom she will be betrothed on the following day. Now she must bid farewell to her childhood.
Scene 3
Guests arrive at the Capulets’ ball, among them Rosaline. Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio, masked, follow her to the ball.
Scene 4
Juliet is introduced to the guests and to Paris. While dancing with Paris, she and Romeo behold one another. It is love at first sight. Tybalt, nephew of Lady Capulet, suspects Romeo’s identity and tries to incite a quarrel, but is prevented from doing so by Juliet’s father who abides by the laws of hospitality.
Scene 5
On the balcony outside her bedroom Juliet dreams of Romeo. He appears below in the garden. They declare their eternal love.
As day breaks in Verona, Romeo, son of Montague, is found declaring his love to the fair Rosaline. With the sunrise the market place fills with townspeople among whom are members of two rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Tempers flare and a quarrel develops. The Duke of Verona appears and warns the two factions that death will be the ultimate punishment if the feud does not stop. Romeo and his friends Benvolio and Mercutio make reluctant peace with Tybalt, a kinsman of the Capulets.
Scene 2
Juliet receives her first ball dress from her mother, Lady Capulet, and learns that she is to meet the nobleman Paris to whom she will be betrothed on the following day. Now she must bid farewell to her childhood.
Scene 3
Guests arrive at the Capulets’ ball, among them Rosaline. Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio, masked, follow her to the ball.
Scene 4
Juliet is introduced to the guests and to Paris. While dancing with Paris, she and Romeo behold one another. It is love at first sight. Tybalt, nephew of Lady Capulet, suspects Romeo’s identity and tries to incite a quarrel, but is prevented from doing so by Juliet’s father who abides by the laws of hospitality.
Scene 5
On the balcony outside her bedroom Juliet dreams of Romeo. He appears below in the garden. They declare their eternal love.
Act II
Scene 1
A carnival is in progress in the town square. Romeo, daydreaming, is indifferent to the gaiety around him. Juliet’s nurse brings him a letter from Juliet asking him to meet her in the chapel of Friar Laurence.
Scene 2
In his cloister, Friar Laurence joins the young lovers in marriage.
Scene 3
At the height of the carnival, Romeo returns from his wedding to the square. Tybalt accosts him, but Romeo declines to fight. Mercutio, angered, engages in a duel with Tybalt, and dies at his hands. Romeo, stunned and distraught, turns on Tybalt and kills him.
A carnival is in progress in the town square. Romeo, daydreaming, is indifferent to the gaiety around him. Juliet’s nurse brings him a letter from Juliet asking him to meet her in the chapel of Friar Laurence.
Scene 2
In his cloister, Friar Laurence joins the young lovers in marriage.
Scene 3
At the height of the carnival, Romeo returns from his wedding to the square. Tybalt accosts him, but Romeo declines to fight. Mercutio, angered, engages in a duel with Tybalt, and dies at his hands. Romeo, stunned and distraught, turns on Tybalt and kills him.
Act III
Scene 1
In Juliet’s bedroom the lovers are awakened by the sunrise, and Romeo, who has been banished by the Duke, must leave Verona. Lord and Lady Capulet enter with Paris, but Juliet rejects him.
Scene 2Juliet, appealing for help to Friar Laurence, receives a potion from him that will place her in a death-like sleep. He explains that Romeo will find her in the family tomb and from there they can escape together.
Scene 3
Juliet’s parents return and Juliet pretends to agree to the marriage with Paris. Left alone, Juliet takes the sleeping potion and is thought to be dead when her family and friends discover her, on what was to have been her wedding day.
Scene 4
Romeo, who has not received Friar Laurence’s message revealing the plan, believes Juliet to be dead and rushes to her tomb. There he finds the mourning Paris and kills him. Embracing Juliet for the last time, he plunges his dagger into his heart. Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead. Grief-stricken, she kills herself.
In Juliet’s bedroom the lovers are awakened by the sunrise, and Romeo, who has been banished by the Duke, must leave Verona. Lord and Lady Capulet enter with Paris, but Juliet rejects him.
Scene 2Juliet, appealing for help to Friar Laurence, receives a potion from him that will place her in a death-like sleep. He explains that Romeo will find her in the family tomb and from there they can escape together.
Scene 3
Juliet’s parents return and Juliet pretends to agree to the marriage with Paris. Left alone, Juliet takes the sleeping potion and is thought to be dead when her family and friends discover her, on what was to have been her wedding day.
Scene 4
Romeo, who has not received Friar Laurence’s message revealing the plan, believes Juliet to be dead and rushes to her tomb. There he finds the mourning Paris and kills him. Embracing Juliet for the last time, he plunges his dagger into his heart. Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead. Grief-stricken, she kills herself.
