An introduction to Romeo and Juliet ( The Royal Ballet)

An exploration of what makes Kenneth MacMillan s Romeo and Juliet so special. Find out more at Kenneth MacMillan poignant setting of Sergey Prokofievs classic score draws out the emotional and psychological intensity of the tale. Romeo and Juliet contains three passionate pas de deux: the lovers first meeting, the famous balcony scene and the devastating final tragedy, in which Romeo dances desperately with the lifeless Juliet. The story is set against a wonderful evocation of 16thcentury Verona, and includes a bustling marketplace that erupts into a violent sword fight, and a lavish ball held in an elegant mansion. MacMillans Romeo and Juliet first arrived at Covent Garden in 1965. Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn took the title roles on the opening night MacMillan had originally created the work on Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable. Nevertheless, Fonteyn and Nureyevs performance had a rapturous reception, with 43 curtain calls and almost forty minutes o