Romeo and Juliet | Sergej Prokof’ev
Guest again in Turin after Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty staged in 2023, the Prague National Theatre Ballet brings Prokof'ev’s Romeo and Juliet to the stage of the Regio. The Czech company, composed of dancers of eighteen different nationalities, is asked to give body to a wide variety of feelings, from aggression to tenderness, following the rhythms of the very rich score, choreographed by Leonid Lavrovskij. The musical structure of the ballet juxtaposes scenes and characters from Shakespeare’s tragedy in polychrome panels, with bright colors like an Orthodox iconostasis.
Romeo and Juliet was supposed to be performed for the first time at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, but a series of disagreements between Prokof'ev and the Soviet theatre meant that the ballet saw the light in Brno, not far from Prague, in 1938. Initially, a happy ending was thought of, with the excuse of the impossibility of putting the moment of death into dance, which Prokof'ev finally decided to implement: the outcome was admirable, thanks to the visual qualities of his musical writing, which encouraged Eisenstein to collaborate with him that same year. In fact, Prokof'ev arrived here at a synthesis of the two tendencies that were debating in him: the barbaric and disintegrating one (of works such as the Scythian Suite) and the one that yearned for a classicism felt to be lost. The work was so successful that Prokof'ev created three symphonic suites from Romeo and Juliet, the second of which includes what is perhaps its most famous work, the Dance of the Knights.
Lecture-Concert: Wednesday 3 December at 6 pm - Piccolo Regio Puccini
Ballet in three acts
Performances
Synopsis
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In Verona, in the market square, the citizens gather. Between Tybalt, a member of the Capulet family, and the enemy family of the Montagues, an argument arises that ends in a brawl. The Prince of Verona intervenes, who orders the two families to put an end to their rivalry.
In the second scene, Juliet plays with the nurse but is interrupted by her parents, who introduce her to Paris, her fiancé. When they leave the room, the nurse lovingly explains to her that her childhood is now over.
The Capulets throw a ball to celebrate Juliet's entry into society. Romeo, along with his two friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, decide to attend, dressing up. During the dance, Romeo and Juliet instantly fall in love with each other, even before Juliet realizes that he is a Montague. When his true identity is revealed, Lord Capulet intervenes by welcoming him, thus preventing Tybalt from starting a fight.
After the dance, Juliet looks out onto the balcony thinking of Romeo, who arrives at the same moment. Juliet runs to join him in an ecstatic pas de deux in which they declare their love for each other.
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In the market square. Romeo has changed, he no longer feels at ease with his friends. A wedding procession passes by, entertaining the audience with acrobats and mandolins. The nurse gives Romeo a letter from Juliet, in which she proposes a secret marriage.
The lovers are secretly married by Friar Laurence; Juliet's nurse witnesses it. In the square a duel breaks out between Tybalt and Mercutio, who is killed. Romeo avenges his friend's death by killing Tybalt. Romeo must flee. Lady Capulet arrives, brokenhearted, followed by her husband.
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In Juliet's bedroom, the two lovers sleep together. It is dawn, and Romeo must leave. Juliet, agitated, lingers, even though she knows that Romeo must go into exile. Romeo leaves just as her parents enter the room with Paris. Juliet refuses to marry him; her father is furious and will force her to marry him. Juliet does not know what to do: she sits on the bed confused, then rushes to Friar Laurence for help.
Lauren gives her a vial of sleeping potion that will put her into a sleep similar to death: Romeo will be informed of this and will be able to take her away, in the hope that the two families will finally forgive the two lovers.
Juliet hides the vial under her pillow. Her parents return with Paris; Juliet gives in to their insistence and agrees to marry him that same day. She drinks the entire potion and falls stunned onto her bed. Her maids arrive to prepare her for the wedding and find her apparently lifeless. Her parents and nurse are devastated by grief.
Juliet's body is in the family crypt; Paris, in mourning, is there with her. Romeo arrives, unaware of Juliet's apparent death since the message never reached him. He kills Paris and hugs his beloved's body tightly, saying goodbye for the last time; believing her to be dead, he drinks a vial of deadly poison. Juliet wakes up, finds Romeo lifeless and, in despair, stabs herself.