the famous tragic ballet returns to its home

Kenneth MacMillan's spellbinding ballet set to Sergei Prokofiev's exciting score returns to the Royal Opera House for the autumn season. Made famous by the pairing of Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn in the title roles, the ballet has remained a popular mainstay in the Royal Ballet repertoire since its legendary premiere back in 1961. Since then the production has been performed more than 400 times and toured around the world; in 2011 it was adapted for arena-scale performances at the O2 Arena. Now, you can enjoy it back in its original setting at the ROH.

The ballet follows the original story by Shakespeare very closely, and is enhanced by the dancing throughout an otherwise mute performance. The immortal dancing is made famous by the three passionate pas de deux between the two lead dancers: the lovers first meeting, the famous balcony scene and the devastating final tragedy, in which Romeo dances desperately in a futile attempt to revive the lifeless Juliet. Evoking the Bard's original setting of 16th-century Verona, the sets include a bustling marketplace that erupts into a violent sword fight, and a lavish costumed ball held in the elegant Capulet mansion.