Romeo and Juliet

Chan Hon Goh as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1997). Photo by Joseph Ciancio.

Photos
Videos

Celia Franca as Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (1964).
Earl Kraul and Galina Samtsova as Romeo and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1964).
Earl Kraul and Veronica Tennant in the CBC film of Romeo and Juliet (1964).
Romeo’s ball jacket from Romeo and Juliet (1976).
Yves Cousineau, Celia Franca and Frank Augustyn as Tybalt, Lady Capulet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1976).
Curtain call for Veronica Tennant's Farewell Performance as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (February 12, 1989).
Pointe shoes worn by Veronica Tennant in her final performance of Romeo and Juliet (February 12, 1989).
Karen Kain and Rex Harrington as Juliet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1992).
Robert Tewsley and Margaret Illmann as Romeo and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1995).
Chan Hon Goh as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1997).
Dancers, orchestra members, artistic staff, production staff, wardrobe and crew of The National Ballet of Canada onstage following a performance of Romeo and Juliet (2006).
Elena Lobsanova and Alexei Ratmansky rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Alexei Ratmansky rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté as Juliet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté as Juliet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté as Juliet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Jiří Jelinek and Artists of the Ballet in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Heather Ogden and McGee Maddox in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Heather Ogden and McGee Maddox in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Piotr Stanczyk and Jiří Jelinek in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Artists of the Ballet in Romeo and Juliet (2011).
Jiří Jelinek and Artists of the Ballet in Romeo and Juliet (2011).

Contributing Photographers
Ken Bell
Joseph Ciancio
Setareh Sarmadi
Cylla von Tiedemann
Bruce Zinger
Sian Richards
Christopher Wahl

Production Chronology
Romeo and Juliet
Premiere date: April 14, 1964
Choreography: John Cranko
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Set and Costume Design: Jürgen Rose
Lighting Design: Wallace Russell

Romeo and Juliet (revival)
Premiere date: July 11, 1976
Choreography: John Cranko
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Set and Costume Design: Jürgen Rose
Lighting Design: Wallace Russell

Romeo and Juliet
Premiere date: February 8, 1995
Choreography: John Cranko
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Set and Costume Design: Susan Benson
Lighting Design: Robert Thomson

Romeo and Juliet
Premiere date: November 16, 2011
Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Costume, Set and Properties Design: Richard Hudson
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton

Lead philanthropic support for Romeo and Juliet is provided by Sandra & Jim Pitblado with additional generous support from Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, The Catherine & Maxwell Meighen Foundation, an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and Walter Carsen, O.C.

About the Ballet

On Stage
March 12-17, 2013
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto

Buy Tickets/More Information

William Shakespeare’s story of Romeo and Juliet was one of the first works of literature to inspire ballet choreographers, so perfectly suited to dance are its drama, romance and tragedy. Though Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been translated into dance since the early 19th century, it is in the 20th century that productions have been especially prolific. Since the 1930’s, choreographers have been particularly fortunate to have Serge Prokofiev’s musical score specifically written for the ballet. It was his intuitive understanding of Shakespeare’s poetry that has left, for generations of ballet and music lovers, the greatest full-length ballet score since those created by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in the late 19th century. The score and its history have also proven an inspiration to dozens of contemporary choreographers including John Cranko, Sir Frederick Ashton and Sir Kenneth MacMillan. Romeo and Juliet has become one of the most beloved ballets and most major companies hold a version in their repertoire. John Cranko’s production of Romeo and Juliet, which entered The National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire in 1964 and became one of the company’s signature productions, has been performed by ballet companies all over the world including Miami City Ballet and Vienna State Opera Ballet.

As part of the National Ballet's 60th anniversary celebrations, a new production of Romeo and Juliet has been commissioned by internationally celebrated choreographer Alexei Ratmanksy. This world premiere is a totally fresh, brilliantly imagined interpretation of Shakespeare's play. Ratmansky blends the elegance and stateliness of a classical vocabulary with the intense emotional edge of the modern to create an unforgettable version of one of the greatest dance dramas ever.

Ballet Notes

Get more insight into the production - Ballet Notes are detailed guides to the company's dynamic repertoire. Read the synopsis and articles and view more photos in the Romeo and Juliet Ballet Notes.

Read the 2011 Ballet Note

Read the 2009 Ballet Note

Read the 2006 Ballet Note

Our History

	The National Ballet of Canada first performed Romeo and Juliet at Montréal’s Place des Arts on April 14, 1964, with guest artists Marcia Haydée and Ray Barra from the Stuttgart Ballet in the title roles. The company then took Romeo and Juliet home to Toronto and marked the National Ballet’s debut at the O’Keefe Centre. It was the first large-scale 20th-century ballet as well as the most lavish to enter the company’s repertoire and was deliberately chosen to suit the large stage of the O’Keefe Centre. The first Toronto performance was on April 21, 1964 and featured Galina Samtsova and Earl Kraul in the lead roles. Celia Franca as Lady Capulet (1964).
	Following its successful premiere, Romeo and Juliet was filmed for CBC television by Norman Campbell starring a 19-year old Veronica Tennant as Juliet and Earl Kraul as Romeo. It aired on September 15, 1965 and later won the Prix René Barthelemy at the International Television Festival in Monte Carlo in 1966. *Earl Kraul and Veronica Tennant in the CBC film of Romeo and Juliet* (1964).**
	In 1973, a fire in the National Ballet’s wardrobe department destroyed all of the costumes for Romeo and Juliet. The production was rebuilt in 1976 and returned to the National Ballet’s repertoire as part of the 25th anniversary season. It was first performed at the Olympic Arts Festival in Montréal in July of 1976 and then performed in Toronto in November. Many former National Ballet dancers came out of retirement to appear for a special performance on November 14, 1976 including Lilian Jarvis as Juliet, Hazaros Surmeyan as Romeo, Yves Cousineau as Tybalt and Celia Franca as Lady Capulet. Romeo’s ball jacket (1976).
	After 25 years with the company, Principal Dancer Veronica Tennant danced her farewell performance with the National Ballet as Juliet on February 12, 1989. Ms. Tennant has gone on to achieve international acclaim for her documentary films on The National Ballet of Canada. *Pointe shoes worn by Veronica Tennant in her final performance of Romeo and Juliet* (February 12, 1989).**
	In 1995, Romeo and Juliet was given a fresh look with totally redesigned sets and costumes by celebrated Canadian designer Susan Benson. The new production was generously underwritten by long-time supporter Walter Carsen and premiered on February 8, 1995. In a tribute to the premiere performance of Romeo and Juliet at the O’Keefe Centre, The National Ballet of Canada’s farewell season at the renamed Hummingbird Centre featured Romeo and Juliet as the final full-length production. The farewell Romeo and Juliet show was performed on May 7, 2006 featuring Sonia Rodriguez as Juliet and Aleksandar Antonijevic as Romeo. *Dancers, orchestra members, artistic staff, production staff, wardrobe and crew of The National Ballet of Canada onstage following a performance of Romeo and Juliet* (2006).**

Your Stories

Your story is our history! Celebrate 60 glorious years with us by sharing your treasured National Ballet memories.

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"The greatest wave of emotion I can recall at any National Ballet performance came with Veronica Tennant's farewell appearance in Romeo and Juliet. The cheering nearly brought down the roof of the Hummingbird Centre as the flower bouquets piled up steadily around her on the stage. I especially remember one bouquet that came flying like a rocket from somewhere in the audience and landed right at her feet just as she was taking her umpteenth curtsey. What an amazing display of love from audience to artist!"

- Ken Stephen, Subscriber & Donor, 25+ Years

"My Memory: Sharing the joy of the ballet with my daughter Amy. The ballet has become our true love of the arts. Our favorite production so far has been Swan Lake. I am looking forward to the new Romeo and Juliet and am coming to the performance on November 18th, this time with a friend. I have to travel from my new home in Elliot Lake, Ontario and wouldn't miss it for the world. Thank you once again for your performances - they have become a regular part of my life."

- Maureen Cameron, Audience Member, Less than 5 years

"Despite having small children at home and very little money, we HAD to see the 1965 performance of Romeo and Juliet. We will never forget seeing Veronica Tennant's perceptive interpretation of Juliet and Celia Franca's passionate display of grief over Tybalt's death in the ballet."

- Sylvia Murray and Jane Ameline, Audience Members, 40+ Years

"My favourite ballet is Romeo and Juliet and my favourite Juliet was and is Veronica Tennant. Her retirement performance belied her age. Through her leg and body motions and pure acting ability she transformed herself into an innocent and lovestruck 14 year old."

- Leon Steinberg, Audience Member, 40+ Years

"Having become a Canadian citizen in the beginning of April 1964, as a special gift my mother surprised me with tickets to see the first performance of Romeo and Juliet at the O'Keefe Centre. The performance by Galina Samtsova and especially Earl Kraul was absolutely superb. Now every April I have to think of this special month in my life and the most wonderful introduction to The National Ballet of Canada."

- Dieter Reimers, Audience Member, 40+ Years

"My favourite memory of The National Ballet of Canada is the last time Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn danced Romeo and Juliet. Between the choreography, the dancers and the score there was not a dry eye in the house. I learned once and for all the ability of dance to move people's emotions."

- Stephen Stein, Audience Member, 30+ Years