Let’s look at one of the most famous tragic stories of all time – The Romeo and Juliet Ballet Story. Here is a history lesson for you, as well as the synopsis of this famous ballet.
Romeo And Juliet Ballet History
When Diaghilev died in 1929, the many talented people that he had gathered around him spread out around the world to find themselves work. Very few of them returned to their native Russia, but composer Prokofiev was one of them who did.
Inside of Russia, classical ballet did not develop as it was too restricted during the Tsar’s regime. However, the strong teaching tradition remained and strong dancers like Ulanova were produced during this time. When Prokofiev finally managed to get his idea for a ballet based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet accepted, it was Ulanova who danced the first Juliet in Russia. She also danced the role when the Bolshoi Ballet visited London over fifteen years later in 1956.
In most of the balletic versions of Romeo and Juliet, many of the details of Shakespeare’s tragedy have been omitted, and the central touching drama is more concentrated on.
Romeo And Juliet Ballet Story
The Montagu and Capulet families have been enemies for a long time. Romeo is the son of the Montagu’s. Mercutio and Benvolio his friends have an argument with Tybalt, who is Juliet’s brother, which leads to a serious fight. Both Lords of the two families then join in with their retainers, until the Prince of Verona commands that they stop and heal the rift between them.
The Capulet’s hold a very grand ball and allow their young daughter Juliet to attend. Her parents have promised her to Paris for an arranged marriage. Romeo and his friends sneak into the house in masks to avoid recognition. Romeo sees Juliet and it is love at first sight. She feels the same. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and asks him to leave, but Lord Capulet remembers the prince’s order and lets him stay.
Later that night Juliet is unable to sleep and wonders out onto her balcony thinking of Romeo. He appears in the garden below and they express their love for one another. Romeo is determined that he will marry Juliet and a letter from her delivered by her nurse tells hem that she will become his wife.
They secretly meet at the Chapel and Frair Lawrence marries them, hoping that this bond will unite their families. When Romeo returns to the town he finds his friends fighting with Tybalt again and tries to stop them. Tybalt mistakes this for cowardice and carries on fighting only to kill Mercutio. In anger, Romeo retaliates and kills Tybalt. He is banished by the Prince, so he spends one last night with Juliet and leaves Verona at dawn.
Juliet refuses Paris’s hand in marriage, in spite of the terrible threats by her father. Desolate she asks Frair Lawrence for his help and he gives her a potion which will make her fall into a death-like sleep. Once she is in the family vault, Frair Lawrence says he will arrange for Romeo to take her away.
To avoid her family getting suspicious, she agrees to marry Paris and then takes the potion. The family finds her apparently dead with the poison near her hand.
She lies unconscious in the vault waiting for Romeo, but the message never reaches him, and he believes that she is really dead. He comes to the vault and poisons himself at her side. When Juliet regains consciousness and finds Romeo dead she kills herself.
And that my dancing friends is the full Romeo and Juliet ballet story in a nutshell. It is a real tragedy.
Here is the full-length ballet of Romeo and Juliet for you to watch.
Thanks for writing this short story on Romeo and Juliet ballet. I must commend you for a job well done for taking your time to write this story, I find it so educative and also interesting in all apart as far as I am concerned. This Romeo and Juliet ballet story is a very popular story even I grow up knowing about the story of love and it is done in so many ways nowadays from the ballets to movies to plays, and even modernized.
Hi Michel,
I’ve seen several balletic versions of Romeo and Juliet but as you have said, I wasn’t happy because many of the details of Shakespeare’s tragedy have been omitted. These tragic details are the soul of the play and omitting it to me makes no sense even though more light is shown on the central touching drama.
Very sad, and romantic.
I have read Romeo and Juliet before but The story always gets to me every time. It always brings tears to my eyes.
Very entertaining and sorrowful ballet performance to watch, thanks for sharing the story with us, this was a good read.
Best regards to you and looking forward to more ballet stories
Thank you for your comment Etah.
I must say, I don’t know much about dance or ballet but I know a lot about the Romeo and Juliet story and as you stated, it is the most famous tragic love story ever but with what i read, you described more than I ever expected. I just could not stop reading as I wanted to know the end of the story and I must say, I was intrigued.
Yes, Romeo and Juliet must be the most retold romance in history. It is retold in movies, plays, books as well as ballets, and people still love this tragic story.
This tale is full of secrets, passion and eternal love. Romeo and Juliet’s ballet is an all-time favorite classic love story that many ballerinas have the dreamed to perform one day.
The ballet is known for its breathless pas de deux, dramatic emotions and tragic tale, and I enjoyed watching it over and over again.
It is a great ballet, but it is not my favorite, due to the depressing nature of the story.
My friends talked a lot about Romeo and Juliet when I was a child. I was confused about the story then because they all tell different types of stories lol.
Thanks for making this great post and video. I’ll tell the real story to my friends and prove them wrong. But I have a question. Who is Prince of Verona?? I have never heard about him before. Is he a king? Or something else?
Just a fictional character from the story. Your friends weren’t wrong, as there are many different versions of the story of Romeo and Juliet, but they all follow the same common theme.
I’m happy to read this lovely post about Romeo and Juliet, I would say it’s an eye-opener. I also love the way you highlighted the story. I have been following your blog posts for a long time because your posts are always educative and it’s a real story. I must tell you this is not an exception.
Thanks for the review. Best regards
Thank you and glad to hear you are enjoying reading my posts. It’s always great to get good feedback.
Hi Michel Maling,
I have read a fantastic article about the Romeo and Juliet ballet story. After reading this article, I have inspired to see it’s a dramatic edition. I have watched it on YouTube also. The most tragic event is that incident when Juliet regains consciousness and finds Romeo dead and she kills herself. I believe that this article will be very interesting to my friends and family members also. I am going to share it with them. Thanks for writing about this excellent historical story.