With creations by Selia Krithariotis, the ballet of the National Opera presents the eternal love story in a new choreography by Renato Zanella

"The story of Romeo and Juliet affects everyone and I wondered if something similar could happen today…I believe so!», says Renato Zanella

Julieta wears creations by Selia Krithariotis, in the famous balcony scene and beyond. It's a fact. The National Opera suggests an interesting partnership between the art of dance and haute couture (which is common in European theaters) in the production of "Romeo and Juliet", ballet in two acts by Sergei Prokofiev.
The ELLS ballet will present the eternal love story of Romeo and Juliet, in a new choreography by the choreographer and director of the ELS Ballet, Renato Janella, for five unique performances, Is the motto of the 16th Spare Parts Bazaar 9 until 13 May, at the Athens Concert Hall ("Alexandra Trianti" room). The choreography, which is a world premiere, takes us to the Verona of today, where the two families of the Montagues and the Capulets maintain their feud, which already lasts many generations.


"In the right place"
Zanella is inspired by the personality and dynamics of the ELS ballet dancers. The ELS orchestra is under the musical direction of Loukas Karytinos, she has designed the costumes - in her first collaboration with Lyriki- the fashion designer Celia Kritharioti, while the sets are by Constantinos Theofanis.

The Romeo and Juliet ballet is one of the most beloved of dance philology. "I decided to choreograph it because I feel like I'm in the right place at the right time to deal with it. I was inspired by the size and strong personality of the Lyric Ballet, as well as the determination with which he opens himself to new projects", notes Renato Zanella.

"Verona is the city in which I was born. Her story, the architecture, its colors and tradition make the visitor feel that time has never passed? especially if one walks around at night, with the dim lighting of its streets, it feels like going back in time. The story of Romeo and Juliet affects everyone and I wondered if something similar could happen today. Love is so powerful, so as to lead two young men to acts of such desperation, in order to defend the,what is more important to them; I believe so!».


There was fear of attacks
In its original form the ballet was based on an abridgement of Shakespeare's well-known play by Adrian Piotrowski and Sergei Radloff. Prokofiev completed the score on 1935 ως παραγγελία των μπαλέτων Κίροφ της Αγίας Πετρούπολης. Στην πρώτη εκδοχή με αίσιο τέλος το μπαλέτο δεν παρουσιάστηκε ποτέ, καθώς υπήρχε φόβος επιθέσεων από προσβλητικά άρθρα που απηχούσαν σκέψεις του Στάλιν στην εφημερίδα «Πράβντα». Τέτοιες επιθέσεις ήταν συνήθεις ενάντια σε μοντερνιστές καλλιτέχνες. The ballet was premiered in a choreography by the Czech dancer and choreographer Ivan Psota, at 30 December 1938, in Brno, Czechoslovakia. However, the ballet became famous in the choreography of Leonid Lavrovsky, which was presented on 11 January 1940 from Kirov, with Galina Ulanova and Konstantin Sergeev. The most famous choreographies in the West remain those of John Cranko (1958) and Kenneth MacMillan (1965).


The third production
The masterpiece ballet "Romeo and Juliet" by Prokofiev, which was based on Shakespeare's play, is the third production of the ELS ballet in the artistic period 2011-12. After "Everybody Waltz", "Don Quixote" but also "Faust", οι χορευτές του μπαλέτου της ΕΛΣ καλούνται να αναμετρηθούν με ένα από τα πιο απαιτητικά μπαλέτα όλων των εποχών.

Source : ethnos.gr