Romeo and Juliet

-The ballet's music: The composer of this music was Serguei Prokófiev. People told about him as a "Cossack Chopin" because of his abilities when he played the piano. It wasn't the first time that he were composing ballet music. The music was really different, more different than the other types of music that appeared in the last time. This was because it was a tragedy between the love of two young teens. There was a controversial fact about the interaction between the dance and the music in the Bolxoi. On the other hand, this music inspired a lot of choreographers in the whole world. It was a music about "Ballet Action": a music for a dynamic choreography.

-The most important ballet performers: There are some examples like: Galina Ulànova- Konstantín Serguèiev, Rudolf Nureiev- Anna Razzi and Margot Fonteyn, Merle Park- Mikhaïl Baríxnikov and Carla Fracci- Mario Pistoni (they seemed the perfect pair for the ballet Romeo and Juliet). The pas de deux of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nuureiev were impressive like the pas de deux of Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca and later with Robert Bolle. Nureiev was a spectacular Romeo in this ballet. The character of Mercutio, Romeo's best friend, is important because the dancer must have a lot of technique and he must be a great actor. We can remember: Bruno Vescovo, Biagio Tambone and Maurizio Licitra.

-The technique: In this ballet the dancers have to be really good actors to show all the sadness of the tragedy and the atmosphere of Verona. They have to feel the love and the spirit of the Renaissance time. There are lots of choreography in groups and some fighting scenes (normally, the ballet dancers, learn some classes about fencing to practice that. There are lots of boys variations including the Mercutio's variation, a bit difficult one. However the most technical part is the pas de deux. They have to feel love (no matter if it isn't real) to connect with the other person and to do some difficult positions like the arabesque in lace, lift in grand jeté, cambré en arrière and long elusives along the stage. In the contemporany versions the dancers have to express a lot all of these feelings.

-The ballet's dresses: In the historical versions the dresses of Romeo and Juliet are the typica ones of the Renaissance time. The first of Juliet is a simple dress. When she goes to the party she wears another one more sumptuous. In there you can see a lot of embroidery. There are some ties, too and it's a little bit narrow in general. The skirt is wide and light and a little bit long to follow every Juliet's movement. When Juliet is in the balcony, she wears a white and very light nightdress. Romeo wears some different colored stockings with the bodice that it is more ornamented in the scene of the party. In the other scenes, this is more simple but really beautiful at the same time.