Would you recommend Northern Ballet's Romeo and Juliet?

[art_enthusiast]

Quick query re the Northern Ballet's Romeo and Juliet - is it recommended? Could anyone share a bit about the choreography? I'm thinking of booking for one of the Sadler's Wells performances.

[Jan McNulty]

The late Christopher Gable commissioned this ballet and worked in tandem with choreographer Massimo Moricone.  It premiered in 1991  (Massimo was in Leeds while NB were performing recently and, of course, we had a chat!  What was lovely was that he kept on reiterating how much he had enjoyed working with Christopher.).

 

Lez Brotherston designed the set and costumes.  The set is moving Roman style broken pillars and walls and looks fantastic.  The walls at the back have the motto "Amor vincit omnia" on them.

 

Christopher believed that audiences attention was better held if the acts were not too long - including intervals (unless any tweaking has been done) it comes in at around 2 1/2 hours.  It is the Prokofiev score.

 

I am biased but it is my favourite production of Romeo and Juliet (I have seen at least 10 other productions over the years).

 

It follows the usual ballet story for R&J (of course Christopher and Lynn Seymour created Kenneth MacMillan's R&J so it was in his blood).

 

When this ballet first premiered there were only about 28 dancers in the company so there is not a large corps but it is so cleverly choreographed that the crowd scenes always seem to fill the stage.

 

I love the almost militaristic choreography for the ballroom scene and the costumes are absolutely sumptuous.  The main duets are beautiful and lyrical - the balcony scene full of hope and the bedroom scene full of despair.

 

Yes, it is definitely worth seeing!!

[alison]

Yes. End of.

[RHowarth]

First ballet I ever saw. 30 years later I'm still watching!

[Emeralds]

On 03/11/2023 at 10:29, art_enthusiast said:

Quick query re the Northern Ballet's Romeo and Juliet - is it recommended? Could anyone share a bit about the choreography? I'm thinking of booking for one of the Sadler's Wells performances.

Yes, totally recommend!

 

There's actually a recording of the ballet on YouTube which was uploaded from someone's TV recording! The production was aired on BBC2 many years ago. Completely different choreography to MacMillan or Nureyev or anyone else's, but really good. Just type in "Northern Ballet Romeo and Juliet BBC2 YouTube".

[jmhopton]

Like Janet, it's  my favourite Romeo and Juliet. It's got everything; great sets and costumes (Lez Brethesrton is a genius), wonderful choreography and, I'm sure,  great dancing. Don't miss it!