Peter Schaufuss Ballet Romeo and Juliet at Brighton

[Beryl H]

I think the Juliet role in this ballet is one of Frederick Ashton's finest creations, last night Megumi Oki's dancing was fast, light and rapturous, with a gossamer quality, I would love to see her as Ondine. Stefan Wise was Romeo, Johan Christensen repeated the Tybalt role seen at the Coliseum, not totally sure of the other dancers and didn't buy the programme to find out.

 

As in Nutcracker, the orchestra of about 25 do wonders with the music, and of course the staging suited the smallish Dome, shame so much space is taken with permanent steps though! I didn't really miss the crowd scenes ,but it does take a while to get used the pared down feeling, very glad I saw it, Megumi Oki made it all worthwhile, audience much happier than at Nutcracker too!

[Jan McNulty]

I found this wonderful Youtube clips of the opening night of Romeo and Juliet, London Festival Ballet in the summer of 1985, with Sir Frederick Ashton taking the curtain calls.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2NlXJhtElk&feature=related

 

I was following a completely different thread and also discovered quite a few clips of RDB performing this production during Peter Schaufuss tenure as AD with Johan Kobborg as Romeo (I was very glad I wasn't Tybalt in that fight scene!).

[alison]

Yes, I know, they're very nice, aren't they? And there is more up there from Schaufuss' own company, too.