Russian National Ballet TheatRe - Krannert Center for the ...

programsynopsisRussian National Ballet TheatreRomeo and JulietTuesday-Wednesday, January 18-19, 2011After William Shakespeare’s tragedyMusic by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikowskiChoreography by Elena Radchenko after MariusPetipaSets and costumes by Elena and Sergei RadchenkoLibretto by Elena and Sergei RadchenkoPrologueAct I20-minute intermissionAct IIThis program is subject to change.The Russian National Ballet Theatre appears byarrangement with:Andrew S. GrossmanColumbia Artists Management Inc.1790 Broadway, New York, NY 10019www.cami.comJulietRomeoMercutio Tibalt Paris Lorenzo Father Capulet Mother CapuletWet nurseAnd the corps de balletMaria PoliudovaMarianna TchemalinaEkaterina EgorovaMaria Kluevanadezhda IllarionovaDmitri SchemelininRuslan Mukhambetkalievvladimir StatniyDenis MorozovAlexander DaevEvgeny RudakovSamat AbdrakhmanovAlexander RudakovDmitri Romanovnatalia Ivanovanatalia SmirnovaPrologueThe souls of Romeo and Juliet meet together inQueen Mab’s world of dreams. They tell us the storyof their lives and love.Act IScene 1Daybreak. Dreamy Romeo walking along the streetmeets his bosom friends Mercutio and Benvolio.Time passes and the street fills with people. Thethree friends are in the center of the crowd. TheCapulets come. Mercutio picks a quarrel and aterrible fight begins. Women appeal to the fightersto stop.Scene 2Juliet is playing hide-and-seek with her nurse. Theold woman tells the young girl that she will growup soon and turn men’s heads. The appearance ofJuliet’s parents with Tibalt and Paris stops the game.The family prepares for a ball.Scene 3The ball in the Capulet house. Always the joker,Mercutio has neglected Queen Mab’s predictionabout a misfortune at the Capulets’ ball. He puts ona woman’s dress and begins to flirt with Tybalt. Forthe first time, Romeo catches sight of Juliet. The twoyoung hearts join in love. Tybalt sees Romeo andgets angry. Mercutio hurries to help his friend andattracts the wrath of Tybalt. Romeo and Juliet meetafter the ball and speak together of their feelings.Nothing can separate them now, not families,hatred, or even death.Act IIScene 1Mab plays with a rapier as Life and Death balance onits tip. Who will be the first to stick a rival’s breast?Scene 2It’s merriment in the street. The members of thecrowd greet their heroes Mercutio and Benvolio.They see Juliet’s nurse and decide to play a trick onher, but the nurse has a very important message forRomeo. She must tell him that Juliet is waiting forhim in the church. Still playing with the old nurse,Mercutio and Benvolio don’t notice that Tybalt andhis knights have passed by them. Remembering theirfooling Tybalt at the ball, Mercutio and Benvoliohave a good laugh at his expense.Scene 3Romeo arrives at the church where Juliet awaits.With their deep love, they marry in the eyes of God.Scene 4Romeo’s friends are still conversing with Juliet’snurse when the Capulets appear and break thepleasant mood. Tensions increase. Tybalt nowunderstands the trick that was played on him atthe ball. To regain his dignity, he has decided tofight Mercutio. Tybalt and Mercutio begin theirbattle. Arriving just in time, Romeo and Juliet tryto reconcile the fighters but their attempts are invain. Shortly, Mercutio is mortally wounded. As hedies, he asks Romeo to avenge his death. Romeoenters the battle and kills Tybalt. Juliet is in despairas she accuses her beloved of her brother’s death.But Queen Mab is above these human passions andaccompanies Tybalt and Mercutio to her spirit world,free of hate and enemies and the living.4 5