Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet,"Prokofiev","Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet (1935–38) adapts Shakespeare’s tragedy into a sweeping orchestral drama. Featuring iconic music such as “Dance of the Knights,” it tells the story of the star-crossed lovers through expressive choreography. After political delays and revisions, it premiered in Brno in 1938 and later in the Soviet Union, becoming one of the most celebrated ballets of the 20th century."
First Performance:
Romeo and Juliet,"Prokofiev","Premiered 30 December 1938 at the Mahen Theatre, Brno. First full staging; warmly received. Soviet premiere followed later after revisions, solidifying its major 20th‑century status."
Historical setting:
Romeo and Juliet,"Prokofiev","Composed in the 1930s under Soviet cultural pressures, Prokofiev’s ballet faced political interference and revisions. Its modernist score and emotional intensity reflect the era’s artistic constraints and the USSR’s ambivalent relationship with Western literary classics."