In 1937, Sergei Prokofiev traveled to Chicago to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in selections from Romeo and Juliet.
Prokofiev began composing the ballet in 1934, on commission from the Kirov. Completed a year or two later, it wasn't staged until 1938, in Brno, Czechoslovakia. The Kirov finally presented Romeo and Juliet in 1940.
The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet also inspired Tchaikovsky, who wrote a shorter, orchestral work that has been choreographed many times. However, Prokofiev's work is the standard for the full-length ballet.
Historically, the most significant productions of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet include John Cranko's for the Stuttgart Ballet in 1962, which toured to the U.S. in 1969, and Sir Kenneth MacMillan's for the Royal Ballet in 1965. The Royal Ballet's production increased the fame of the ballet, largely thanks to its association with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev in the title roles.
The first U.S. production was in 1971 by Nicolas Petrov for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. San Francisco Ballet followed in 1976, with a production by Michael Smuin. Since then, most major classical companies have added versions of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet to their repertoires. |
