Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev)

Romeo and Juliet (Russian: Ромео и Джульетта), Op. 64, is a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev based on William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. Prokofiev reused music from the ballet in three suites for orchestra and a solo piano work.

Commemorative coin depicting a scene from the ballet.

Ballet

Galina Ulanova and Yuri Zhdanov in the Romeo and Juliet ballet

Based on a synopsis created by Adrian Piotrovsky (who first suggested the subject to Prokofiev)^[1] and Sergey Radlov, the ballet was composed by Prokofiev in September 1935 to their scenario which followed the precepts of "drambalet" (dramatised ballet, officially promoted at the Kirov Ballet to replace works based primarily on choreographic display and innovation).^[2] Following Radlov's acrimonious resignation from the Kirov in June 1934, a new agreement was signed with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on the understanding that Piotrovsky would remain involved.^[3] However, the ballet's original happy ending (contrary to Shakespeare) provoked controversy among Soviet cultural officials;^[4] the ballet's production was then postponed indefinitely when the staff of the Bolshoi was overhauled at the behest of the chairman of the Committee on Arts Affairs, Platon Kerzhentsev.^[5] The ballet's failure to be produced within Soviet Russia until 1940 may also have been due to the increased fear and caution in the musical and theatrical community in the aftermath of the two notorious Pravda editorials criticising Shostakovich and other "degenerate modernists" including Piotrovsky.^[6] The conductor Yuri Fayer met with Prokofiev frequently during the writing of the music, and he strongly urged the composer to revert to the traditional ending. Fayer went on to conduct the first performance of the ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre.

Suites of the ballet music were heard in Moscow and the United States, but the full ballet premiered in the Mahen Theatre, Brno (then in Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic), on 30 December 1938. It is better known today from the significantly revised version that was first presented at the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad on 11 January 1940, with choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky and with Konstantin Sergeyev and Galina Ulanova in the lead roles.

Instrumentation

In addition to a somewhat standard instrumentation, the ballet also requires the use of the tenor saxophone. This voice adds a unique sound to the orchestra as it is used both in solo and as part of the ensemble. Prokofiev also used the cornet, viola d'amore and mandolins in the ballet, adding an Italianate flavor to the music.

Full instrumentation is as follows:

woodwinds

piccolo

2 flutes

2 oboes (2nd doubling on 2nd English horn)

2 clarinets (2nd doubling on sopranino clarinet)

bass clarinet

tenor saxophone

2 bassoons

contrabassoon

Brass 6 French horns 3 trumpets cornet 3 trombones tuba

Percussion timpani snare drum xylophone triangle woodblock maracas glockenspiel tambourine chime in A cymbals bass drum

Keyboards piano celesta organ Plucked strings 2 mandolins 2 harps Bowed strings viola d'amore (or solo viola) first and second violins violas violoncellos double basses

The score is published by Muzyka and the Russian State Publisher.

Revivals and other productions

In 1955 Frederick Ashton choreographed a production of Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Danish Ballet.

In 1962 John Cranko's choreography of Romeo and Juliet for the Stuttgart Ballet helped the company achieve a worldwide reputation. It had its American premiere in 1969.

In 1965 choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan's version for the Royal Ballet premiered at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev danced the title roles; Fonteyn, considered to be near retirement, embarked upon a rejuvenated career with a partnership with Nureyev.

In 1971, John Neumeier, partly inspired by John Cranko, created another version of the ballet in Frankfurt. In 1974 Neumeier's Romeo and Juliet premiered in Hamburg as his first full-length ballet with the company.

In 1977, Rudolf Nureyev created a new version of Romeo and Juliet for the London Festival Ballet, today's English National Ballet. He performed the lead role of Romeo, with British ballerina Patricia Ruanne creating the role of Juliet. As a partnership, they would tour the production internationally, and it continues to be a popular ballet in the ENB repertoire, with its most recent revival in 2010 being staged by Patricia Ruanne and Frederic Jahn, of the original 1977 cast.

In 1979, Yuri Grigorovich created a new version for the Bolshoi, "which did away with most of the stage properties and stylized the action into an all-danced text." This was revived in 2010 and remains in the Bolshoi repertory.^[7]

In 1985 choreographer László Seregi's production premiered at the Hungarian National Ballet, Budapest.

In 1996 Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot premiered his version of Roméo et Juliette at Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo.^[8] Taking formal inspiration from the episodic character of Sergei Prokofiev’s classic score, Maillot structured the action in a manner akin to cinematic narrative. Rather than focusing on themes of political-social opposition between the two feuding clans, this Romeo and Juliet highlights the dualities and ambiguities of adolescence.

In 2007 Peter Martins made Romeo + Juliet on New York City Ballet to the Prokofiev music.

In 2008, Krzysztof Pastor presented his version by the Scottish Ballet at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. The United States debut of this version was by the Joffrey Ballet in 2014.

On July 4, 2008, with the approval of the Prokofiev family and permission from the Russian State Archive, the original Prokofiev score was given its world premiere. Musicologist Simon Morrison, author of The People's Artist: Prokofiev's Soviet Years, unearthed the original materials in the Moscow archives, obtained permissions, and reconstructed the entire score. Mark Morris created the choreography for the production. The Mark Morris Dance Group premiered the work at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College in New York state. The production subsequently began a year-long tour to include Berkeley, Norfolk, London, New York, and Chicago.

In 2011, the National Ballet of Canada premiered a new choreography of Romeo and Juliet by Alexei Ratmansky in Toronto, with plans to take it on tour in Western Canada in early 2012.

Structure

List of acts, scenes and musical numbers.^[9]

Scene	No.	English title	Russian title (Original title)	Tempo indication	Notes
Act 1
	1	Introduction	Вступление	Andante assai
Scene 1	2	Romeo	Ромео	Andante
	3	The Street Awakens	Улица просыпается	Allegretto
	4	Morning Dance	Утренний танец	Allegro
	5	The Quarrel	Ссора	Allegro brusco
	6	The Fight	Бой	Presto
	7	The Prince Gives His Order	Приказ герцога	Andante	a.k.a. The Duke's Command
	8	Interlude	Интерлюдия	Andante pomposo (L'istesso tempo)
Scene 2	9	Preparing for the Ball (Juliet and the Nurse)	Приготовление к балу (Джульетта и Кормилица)	Andante assai. Scherzando	a.k.a. At the Capulets' (Preparations for the Ball)
	10	Juliet as a Young Girl	Джульетта-Девочка	Vivace	a.k.a. The Young Juliet
	11	Arrival of the Guests (Minuet)	Съезд гостей (Менуэт)	Assai moderato
	12	Masks (Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio in Masks)	Маски (Ромео, Меркуцио и Бенволио в масках)	Andante marciale
	13	Dance of the Knights	Танец рыцарей	Allegro pesante	a.k.a. Montagues and Capulets
	14	Juliet's Variation	Вариация Джульетты	Moderato (quasi Allegretto)
	15	Mercutio	Меркуцио	Allegro giocoso
	16	Madrigal	Мадригал	Andante tenero
	17	Tybalt Recognizes Romeo	Тибальд узнает Ромео	Allegro
	18	Gavotte (Departure of the Guests)	Гавот (Разъезд гостей)	Allegro	Gavotte (movement III) from "Classical" Symphony, Op. 25
	19	Balcony Scene	Сцена у балкона	Larghetto
	20	Romeo's Variation	Вариация Ромео	Allegretto amoroso
	21	Love Dance	Любовный танец	Andante
Act 2
Scene 3	22	Folk Dance	Народный танец	Allegro giocoso
	23	Romeo and Mercutio	Ромео и Меркуцио	Andante tenero
	24	Dance of the Five Couples	Танец пяти пар	Vivo
	25	Dance with Mandolins	Танец с мандолинами	Vivace
	26	The Nurse	Кормилица	Adagio scherzoso
	27	The Nurse Gives Romeo the Note from Juliet	Кормилица передает Ромео записку от Джульетты	Vivace	a.k.a. The Nurse and Romeo
Scene 4	28	Romeo at Friar Laurence's	Ромео у патера Лоренцо	Andante espressivo
	29	Juliet at Friar Laurence's	Джульетта у патера Лоренцо	Lento
Scene 5	30	The People Continue to Make Merry	Народное веселье продолжается	Vivo	a.k.a. Public Merrymaking
	31	The Folk Dance Again	Снова народный танец	Allegro giocoso	a.k.a. Further Public Festivities (Снова народный праздник)
	32	Tybalt Meets Mercutio	Встреча Тибальда с Меркуцио	Moderato	a.k.a. Meeting of Tybalt and Mercutio
	33	Tybalt and Mercutio Fight	Тибалд бьётся с Меркуцио	Precipitato	a.k.a. The Duel
	34	Death of Mercutio	Меркуцио умирает	Moderato
	35	Romeo Decides to Avenge Mercutio's Death	Ромео решает мстить за смерть Меркуцио	Andante. Animato	a.k.a. Death of Tybalt
	36	Finale of Act II	Финал второго действия	Adagio dramatico
Act 3
	37	Introduction	Вступление	Andante	reprise of No. 7
Scene 6	38	Romeo and Juliet (Juliet's bedroom)	Ромео и Джульетта (Спальня Джульетты)	Lento
	39	Farewell before Parting	Прощание перед разлукой	Andante	a.k.a. Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell, or The Last Farewell
	40	The Nurse	Кормилица	Andante assai
	41	Juliet Refuses to Marry Paris	Джульетта отказывается выйти за Париса	Vivace
	42	Juliet Alone	Джульетта одна	Adagio
	43	Interlude	Интерлюдия	Adagio
Scene 7	44	At Friar Laurence's	У Лоренцо	Andante	a.k.a. At Friar Laurence's Cell
	45	Interlude	Интерлюдия	L'istesso tempo
Scene 8	46	Again in Juliet's Bedroom	Снова у Джульетты	Moderato tranquillo
	47	Juliet Alone	Джульетта одна	Andante
	48	Morning Serenade	Утренняя серенада	Andante giocoso	a.k.a. Aubade
	49	Dance of the Girls with Lilies	Танец девушек с лилиями	Andante con eleganza
	50	At Juliet's Bedside	У постели Джульетты	Andante assai
Act 4: Epilogue
Scene 9	51	Juliet's Funeral	Похороны Джульетты	Adagio funebre	a.k.a. Romeo at the Tomb of Juliet
	52	Death of Juliet	Смерть Джульетты	Adagio (meno mosso del tempo precendente)

Orchestral suites extracted from Romeo and Juliet

Suite No. 1 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis

1. Folk Dance
2. Scene (the Street Awakens)
3. Madrigal
4. Minuet (the Arrival of the Guests)
5. Masks
6. Romeo and Juliet
7. Death of Tybalt

Suite No. 2 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64ter

1. Montagues and Capulets
2. Juliet as a Young Girl
3. Friar Laurence
4. Dance
5. Romeo and Juliet Before Parting
6. Dance of the Girls with Lilies
7. Romeo at Juliet's Grave

Suite No. 3 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 101

1. Romeo at the Fountain
2. Morning Dance
3. Juliet
4. The Nurse
5. Aubade (Morning serenade)
6. The Death of Juliet

Ten Pieces for Piano, Op. 75

Prokofiev reduced selected music from the ballet in 1937 as Romeo and Juliet: Ten Pieces for Piano, Op. 75, which he premiered himself later that year.

1. Folk Dance
2. Scene: The Street Awakens
3. Minuet: Arrival of the Guests
4. Juliet as a Young Girl
5. Masquers
6. Montagues and Capulets
7. Friar Laurence
8. Mercutio
9. Dance of the Girls with Lilies
10. Romeo and Juliet before Parting

Recordings

Sergei Prokofiev himself made the first recording of music from the ballet, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in 1938. Since then, there have been recordings of the full score, as well as various excerpts such as the orchestral suites the composer prepared. Leopold Stokowski conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra in a rare stereo recording in 1954 and Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in 1995, in selections from the score, both for RCA Victor. Andre Previn with the London Symphony Orchestra and Lorin Maazel with the Cleveland Orchestra both made recordings of the complete score in 1973. Georg Solti conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a recording coupled with the Classical Symphony

Notes

1. Morrison. The People's Artist(2009): p. 32
2. Ezrahi. Swans of the Kremlin (2012): p. 43
3. Morrison. The People's Artist(2009): pp. 32-3
4. Morrison. The People's Artist(2009): pp. 36-7
5. Morrison. The People's Artist(2009): p. 37
6. Clark, p. 291
7. Macauley, Alistair (2014-06-05). "On Screen, No Scars or Scandals for Bolshoi". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
8. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
9. S. Prokofiev: Op. 64 Romeo and Juliet, Ballet in Four Acts, Nine Scenes. Moscow: Muzyka, 1976. (С. Прокофьев: Соч. 64 Ромео и Джульетта, Балет в четырех действиях, девяти картинах. Москва: Издательство «Музыка», 1976 г.)

Sources

• Clark, Katerina Petersburg: Crucible of Cultural Revolution (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1995)
• Ezrahi, Christina Swans of the Kremlin: Ballet and Power in Soviet Russia (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2012)
• Morrison, Simon The People’s Artist: Prokofiev’s Soviet Years (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008)

External links

• Romeo and Juliet The ballet choreography by Rudolf Nureyev
• March 7, 1985 NY Times review by Anna Kisselgoff
• Romeo & Juliet, On Motifs of Shakespeare: website on first production using the original Prokofiev score as reconstructed by Simon Morrison
• Romeo and Juliet (Ballet): Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Romeo and Juliet (1st Suite): Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Romeo and Juliet (2nd Suite): Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project