This is not your traditional, as expected familiar Romeo and Juliet to Prokofiev but rather a radical, sparse contemporary re working by Sacha Waltz to Berlioz. It was premiered in 2007 and requires a HUGE cast of ballet ensemble and opera chorus. There is also a large orchestra and it features several glorious yet demanding roles for the soloists.

In this version Waltz has sought to distill the essence of Shakespeare’s play in a bare, minimalist retelling with only three characters – Romeo, Juliet and Friar Lawrence , who each have a dancing and singing embodiment.

The ballet corps is very busy –there is lots of tumultuous writhing and partying and lamenting. Waltz’s choreography is sometimes angular and frieze like, sometimes fluid and sculptural, at other points explosive with demanding jumps especially for the men. She also seems to like and have a knack for unusual lifts and weight shifts .Sometimes the chorus briefly play cameo roles of other characters as established in Shakespeare’s play ( eg Juliet’s parents) .There are some exciting but odd textured costumes and headgear for the opera chorus.

In the middle of a dark stage is a looming, gently sloping giant white platform that becomes a wall, can be raised/lowered for the ’balcony’ scene pas de deux and can be run up or sat upon as for instance when Juliet balances on the edge changing seductively from her formal party tutu to a soft flowing gown and Romeo joins her for a swooning , ecstatic pas de deux. The dance action mainly takes place on the platform while the singers are mostly to the side of the dominating set . Bernard Skodzig ‘s costumes were mostly black or white, linking in with the dueling Capulets and Montagues and following Waltz’s concern with the duality of life and death, good and evil, separation and re-uniting.

For me yes there was a narrative throughout the work to some degree – eg there was definitely a ‘ballroom’ scene, but here it was more a ‘party’ with the masked guests miming eating and drinking – but mostly the work is a distillation of the emotional essence of the story. Juliet’s grave here is shallow, and Juliet is covered in tiny pebbles that Romeo tenderly removes. I found Juliet’s funeral scene with the extended lamenting pas de trois a bit strange, but visually wonderful . There were possibly allusions to ‘Giselle’ perhaps with the floaty gown falling that way .In this version Romeo takes the poison and succumbs but not before Juliet awakes and there is a rapturous reunion pas de deux until it is too late.

Dreamily handsome dancer Herve Moreau as Romeo, in black,is sensational. He has a despairing, swirling entrance for Juliet’s funeral and an anguished climbing of the wall ( the barriers he faces – his banishment ?separation from Juliet ?) His solos are breathtaking with possibly at one point a Matthew Bourne choreographic influence . His tenor counterpart, Yann Beuron, makes us swoon and melt.

As Juliet , in white, Aurelie Dupont is magnificent, totally ravishing and radiant . The extraordinary quite difficult pas de deux for her and Moreau are marvellous with lots of joyous swoops and swirls. Her stabbing death is stark and Macmillan like. Juliet is exquisitely sung by mezzo soprano Stephanie D’Oustrac who is in a long ,textured white gown .She has a passionate , lyrical aria that soars and dazzles.

Bearded, dark Pere Laurence (Nicholas Paul) is forceful and magnetic – a very powerful dancer as he laments and comments on what has happened . He is brilliantly sung by imposing, silver haired , magisterial Nicolas Cavallier who is also a fine mover.
A luminous, lyrical and volcanically passionate version that attempts to distill the emotional essence of this tragic lover’s story.

Romeo et Juliette, running 2 hours, screened on the 16th and 17th June at the Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Dendy Opera Quays and Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. Encore screenings are to follow

© Lynne Lancaster

19th June, 2012

Tags: Sydney Dance Film Reviews- ROMEO ET JULIETTE, Sydney Arts Guide, Lynne Lancaster