The National Ballet of Canada

Guillaume Côté Dances Romeo and Juliet for the Final Time

With New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns as Juliet 

April 25, 2023… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced that Principal Dancer Guillaume Côté will dance the role of Romeo in Alexei Ratmansky’s Romeo and Juliet for the final time on June 16 at 7:30 pm and 18 at 2:00 pm, opposite Principal Guest Artist and New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Sara Mearns as Juliet. #RomeoandJulietNBC 

A signature role, Romeo was created on Côté by Ratmansky in 2011. Although Côté will say farewell to this role, he is not retiring and will continue to perform other leading roles with the National Ballet. 

“I am so grateful to have been in the original cast for this very special production. I love Alexei’s version of Romeo and Juliet – he pushes classical dance to the limit, making it look new and contemporary and really tells the story through movement alone. The role of Romeo is so fulfilling – and challenging – to dance. I look forward to sharing this final performance with our audience and to partner my good friend Sara Mearns in her debut in Alexei’s brilliant ballet,” said Côté. 

Mearns is an internationally celebrated dancer in demand as a guest artist around the world and is currently a Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet. This marks her debut with the National Ballet.

Commissioned in 2011 to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary, Ratmansky’s production has been hailed “a Romeo and Juliet with soul” (Toronto Star). Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s glorious score, Romeo and Juliet features costumes and sets by Richard Hudson and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. 

Additional casting to be announced.  

Watch a video excerpt featuring Guillaume and original Juliet, former Principal Dancer Elena Lobsanova.

Ballet Moments: Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet >
Guillaume Côté Biography > 
Sara Mearns Biography >

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BMO Financial Group presents the 2022/23 season. 

Nicola Wealth presents Romeo and Juliet.   

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

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage, through The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism; and the Government of Ontario through The Honourable Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. 

Guillaume Côté in Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Johan Persson.

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