Rudolf Nureyev's production of
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
's ''
Romeo and Juliet
''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'' premiered at the
London Coliseum on 2 June 1977.
Background and premiere
Rudolf Nureyev had previously danced as the leading role in
Kenneth MacMillan
Sir Kenneth MacMillan (11 December 192929 October 1992) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer who was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977, and its principal choreographer from 1977 until his death. Ea ...
's
production of the ballet at the
Royal Ballet,
Covent Garden in 1965. In 1977, Nureyev left the Royal Ballet and created his own production of the ballet for
London Festival Ballet to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
This production premiered at the
London Coliseum on 2 June 1977, with the British ballerina
Patricia Ruanne as Juliet and Rudolf as Romeo. This production is still in the
English National Ballet's repertoire.
This production was later staged for the
La Scala Theatre Ballet and the first night took place on 20 December 1980, with
Carla Fracci as Juliet and the choreographer as Romeo.
This production was filmed in 1983 and broadcast in Italy and Britain, with the participation of
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, DBE ( Hookham; 18 May 191921 February 1991), known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn (), was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with th ...
as Lady Capulet.
In 1984, this production was introduced to Paris Opera Ballet with
Monique Loudières and
Patrick Dupond as the leading roles.
The production was filmed and released in DVD format in 1995, featuring Loudières as Juliet and
Manuel Legris as Romeo.
Original cast
*
Patricia Ruanne,
Juliet
*
Rudolph Nureyev,
Romeo
Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...
*
Nicholas Johnson,
Mercutio
* Jonas Kåge, Benvolio
* Frederic Jahn-Werner, Tybalt
* Elisabeth Anderton, Nurse
1980 Milan cast
*
Carla Fracci,
Juliet
*
Rudolph Nureyev,
Romeo
Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...
* Paolo Podini,
Mercutio
* Angelo Moretto, Benvolio
* Tiziano Mietto, Tybalt
* Maddalena Campa, Nurse
1984 Paris cast
*
Monique Loudières,
Juliet
*
Patrick Dupond,
Romeo
Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...
*
Cyril Atanassoff, Tybalt
* Jean-Pierre Franchetti,
Mercutio
*
Laurent Hilaire, Paris
*
Yvette Chauviré
Yvette Chauviré (; 22 April 1917 – 19 October 2016) was a French prima ballerina assoluta and actress. She is often described as France's greatest ballerina, and was the mentor of another pair of well-known prima ballerinas named, Sylvie Guill ...
, Lady Capulet
1995 Paris (DVD) cast
*
Monique Loudières,
Juliet
*
Manuel Legris,
Romeo
Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...
*
Charles Jude, Tybalt
*
Lionel Delanoë,
Mercutio
*
Wilfried Romoli, Benvolio
*
José Martínez, Paris
*
Karin Averty, Rosaline
*
Clotilde Vayer, Lady Capulet
*
Olivier Patey, Lord Capulet
*
Annie Carbonnel, Nurse
References
Sources
*Childs, Peter. and Storry, Michael. ''Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture''. Routledge, 2013.
*Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. ''The Encyclopedia of World Ballet''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
Ballets about suicide
Ballets by Sergei Prokofiev
1977 ballets
Ballets based on Romeo and Juliet
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