[usr 4]
Full of youthful vibrancy, this production is fresh. It has been in the Australian Ballet repertoire since 1974, though has not been performed for twenty years.
Technically the dancing was superb, and the Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Lo played Prokofiev’s stirring, passionate music excellently.
Jurgen Rose’s atmospheric sets, sometimes with very quick locale changes, caught late Renaissance Verona delightfully, ably assisted with the lighting design by Jon Buswell. The detailed, multi textured costumes, establishing House and rank were glorious – and the incredibly intricate beading for some of them was marvellous. Weighty grandeur for the older generation was contrasted with the flowing materials for the younger. There was also use of a fringed ribbon skirt for some of the female dancers in the market place.
In the formal ballroom scenes we see formal criss-crossing patterns of choreography and some circular dances in the marketplace during the carnival. There are numerous characters, full of complex layers, even the corps de ballet and relatively minor parts having their own defined characteristics, conveyed most expressively. And not forgetting Juliet’s friends, her bridesmaids, all in white, high stepping en pointe, with lilies in their hands. .Apologies but I have never liked the jesters. The corps is most energetic creating, at times, a shifting tableaux. The men strut and have great fun sword fighting – until it turns deadly serious.
I saw Jarryd Madden and Rina Nemoto as Romeo and Juliet.
Madden was terrific as Romeo, a conscientious and secure partner. He was dumbstruck when he first sees Juliet and is all dreamy afterwards. We see how he shifts from enthusiastic braggadocio to trying to be more dignified and keeping the peace – until disaster strikes,
We see how Nemoto as Juliet grows and changes, from a young girl teasing her Nurse (Olga Tamara) to a young mature adult deeply in love.
The balcony scene includes dives and difficult, swooping lifts, demanding great trust from the ballerina. As the story continues she attempts to rebel against the proposed marriage to Paris and then later on, there is much grief and heartbreak. This, and the other pas de deux for the two, include supported pirouettes and ecstatic curves.
Drew Hedditch as Mercutio demonstrated a fine technique and was a teasing, laughing lad until his poignant death scene. Benvolio (Lucien Xu) was the most sensible, supportive one of the trio of friends, and their diverting dance as they prepare to sneak into the ball was much fun.
Joseph Romancewicz as Tybalt, was both a devoted Capulet with his family but also athletic, energetic and quite menacing, for example, when in the marketplace with Mercutio and Romeo.
Adam Bull and Jasmin Durham as Lord and Lady Capulet were somewhat aloof but caring, typical of the era – except when Juliet refuses to marry Paris, whixh leaves them furious.
Mason Lovegrove was elegant and refined as Lord Paris.
Joshua Consandine doubled as both Friar Laurence and the ageing, imposing Duke of Verona.
Running time – allow 3 hours and the performance includes two intervals
The Australian Ballet in ROMEO AND JULIET runs at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until 21 December 2022.
Featured image : Rina Nemoto as Juliet and Jarryd Madden as Romeo in the Australian Ballet’s production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Pic Daniel Boud