Origins and Music
Romeo and Juliet as a ballet was first conceived in the 1930s when composer Sergei Prokofiev collaborated with the Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky) to adapt Shakespeare's timeless play. The project faced numerous challenges during its development, including political pressures in the Soviet Union. Prokofiev composed the score between 1935 and 1936, creating what would become one of the most celebrated and innovative ballet scores of the 20th century.
The music is notable for its character-specific leitmotifs - distinctive musical themes that represent different characters and emotions throughout the piece. The "Dance of the Knights" (also known as "Montagues and Capulets") became particularly famous, with its ominous, heavy brass and strings creating an unforgettable atmosphere of power and conflict. Prokofiev's score masterfully weaves together moments of sweeping romance, playful comedy, and tragic drama, using innovative orchestration techniques that were ahead of their time.
Interestingly, the original ending Prokofiev composed had a happy ending, with Romeo arriving in time to save Juliet. Soviet cultural officials insisted on adherence to Shakespeare's tragic ending, leading to revisions in the score. The ballet premiered at the Brno Opera in Czechoslovakia in 1938, but its most famous early production was at the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad in 1940, choreographed by Leonid Lavrovsky.
The Ballet's Story
Act I
The ballet opens in the bustling streets of Verona, where members of the feuding Montague and Capulet families frequently clash. Romeo, a young Montague, appears melancholic and distracted, pining for a girl named Rosaline. His friends Mercutio and Benvolio try to lift his spirits. Meanwhile, at the Capulet mansion, young Juliet playfully resists her nurse's attempts to prepare her for an upcoming ball - she is to be presented to Count Paris, her intended suitor.
The famous ball scene unfolds with the powerful "Dance of the Knights," where the Capulets perform a formal, stately dance emphasizing their power and pride. Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio sneak into the ball wearing masks. Romeo spots Juliet and is instantly transfixed, forgetting all about Rosaline. The two young lovers share their first dance, characterized by tentative, gentle movements that blossom into more passionate gestures. Tybalt, Juliet's hot-headed cousin, recognizes Romeo and threatens him, but Lord Capulet intervenes to prevent a scene at his party.
The Balcony Scene (often the end of Act I or beginning of Act II) is one of the ballet's most celebrated sequences. After the ball, Romeo wanders into the Capulet garden, where he sees Juliet on her balcony. Their famous pas de deux is filled with soaring lifts and tender embraces, choreographically representing their declarations of love. The movements alternate between sweeping romantic gestures and more intimate, delicate interactions.
Act II
The marketplace scene shows everyday life in Verona, with folk dances and street entertainers. Romeo, euphoric from his night with Juliet, encounters Mercutio and Benvolio. The scenes that follow show Romeo arranging his secret marriage to Juliet through her nurse and Friar Laurence, who hopes the union might end the families' feud.
The pivotal confrontation scene follows: Tybalt, still angry about Romeo's presence at the ball, challenges him to a duel. Romeo, now secretly married to Juliet, refuses to fight his new kinsman. Mercutio steps in to defend Romeo's honor and engages Tybalt in a fight that begins playfully but turns deadly. Tybalt mortally wounds Mercutio, who dies cursing both families. Romeo, enraged by his friend's death, pursues and kills Tybalt. This scene is typically choreographed with aggressive, sharp movements contrasting with the earlier romantic scenes.
Act III
The bedroom pas de deux between Romeo and Juliet (often called the "Morning After" scene) shows their last moments of happiness. The choreography here is more mature and intimate than their earlier encounters, but tinged with sadness as Romeo must flee Verona or face execution for killing Tybalt.
Juliet's parents, unaware of her marriage to Romeo, insist she marry Count Paris immediately. When she refuses, her father threatens to disown her. This leads to Juliet's desperate visit to Friar Laurence, who devises a plan: she will take a potion that mimics death, allowing her to escape both the marriage and her family.
The scene where Juliet takes the potion is a powerful solo dance, expressing her fear, determination, and conflicting emotions through increasingly frantic movements. She collapses as the potion takes effect, and her family discovers her apparently lifeless body on what was to be her wedding morning.
Act IV
The tragic finale takes place in the Capulet tomb. Romeo, who never received Friar Laurence's message explaining the plan, believes Juliet is truly dead. He dances a grief-stricken solo before taking poison. Juliet awakens to find Romeo dying. Their final pas de deux is brief and desperate, with Romeo struggling to lift Juliet as the poison takes effect. After Romeo dies, Juliet takes his dagger and joins him in death. The ballet often ends with an epilogue showing the grieving families united too late by their children's deaths.
Notable Dance Sequences
Throughout the ballet, several memorable divertissements (dance interludes) are interspersed within the main narrative:
- The Three Harlots in the marketplace scenes, providing comic relief
- The Mandolin Dance at the Capulet ball
- Various carnival entertainers and street scenes
- The Dance of the Lilies during Juliet's wedding preparations
The choreography throughout uses distinct styles to differentiate the characters: Romeo's movements are typically light and romantic, Tybalt's are aggressive and sharp, Mercutio's are playful and acrobatic, and Juliet's transform from girlish innocence to passionate maturity as the story progresses. The corps de ballet plays multiple crucial roles, from party guests to street scenes to representing the weight of societal pressure on the young lovers.
Choreographic Impact and Legacy
Romeo and Juliet revolutionized narrative ballet in several ways. It demonstrated how modern music could be successfully integrated into classical ballet, paving the way for more contemporary compositions. The ballet also pushed the boundaries of how emotion and character development could be conveyed through dance, moving beyond the more formulaic approach of many 19th-century works.
Numerous choreographers have created their own versions, each bringing a unique interpretation. Kenneth MacMillan's 1965 version for The Royal Ballet, featuring Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, became particularly influential for its psychological depth and passionate choreography. John Cranko's 1962 staging for the Stuttgart Ballet emphasized the work's theatrical elements, while John Neumeier's version set the story in a modern context.
The ballet has become a proving ground for dancers, particularly those portraying Romeo and Juliet. These roles require not only technical excellence but also strong acting abilities and emotional maturity. Many of the world's greatest dancers, including Galina Ulanova, Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, and Natalia Osipova, have defined their careers through these roles.
Cultural Impact
Beyond the dance world, Prokofiev's score has entered popular culture, being used in films, advertisements, and other media. The ballet has inspired numerous adaptations and reinterpretations, including contemporary dance versions and cross-cultural productions. It has become a gateway production for many audiences new to ballet, thanks to its familiar story and emotionally accessible themes.
The ballet continues to be one of the most performed classical works worldwide, consistently drawing audiences and providing opportunities for companies to showcase both their corps de ballet and principal dancers. Its themes of young love, family conflict, and tragic fate remain as relevant today as when Shakespeare first wrote them, while the dancing and music continue to move audiences across generations and cultures.
The work's influence extends beyond classical ballet, inspiring contemporary choreographers to explore how timeless stories can be told through dance, and demonstrating how different art forms - literature, music, and dance - can be successfully integrated to create a powerful artistic experience. Romeo and Juliet remains a cornerstone of the ballet repertoire, representing the perfect synthesis of dramatic storytelling, musical innovation, and choreographic excellence.