It is love at first sight and at the same time a love that cannot be. Granted only one night, the lovers - probably the most famous of all time – are separated forever by the mutual hatred of their respective families.

William Shakespeare's tragedy about the feuding Montagues and Capulets, whose children find each other and overcome the deep-seated hatred, has inspired countless artists. John Cranko also took up this timeless material in 1962 and created one of his most popular ballets. With poignant pas de deux, heated fencing matches, sumptuous balls and spirited carnival scenes, Cranko brings the hustle and bustle of Verona to life. He portrays his dreamy Romeo, his impetuous Juliet, his daredevil, clowning Mercutio and the ice-cold glittering villain Tybalt so clearly that one is drawn deeply into the breathtaking current of events from the first moment on. From the dizzying heights of newfound love, one plunges with the protagonists into unstoppable, senseless violence, all the way to a tragic death.

Sergei Prokofiev's descriptive music - in combination with Jürgen Rose's opulent sets and costumes – forms the perfect back drop which allows the scenes to unfold just as if they had sprung directly from an Italian Renaissance painting.