Customer Reviews

The Bolshoi Ballet Company in Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet [VHS]

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Bessmertova and Lavrovskiy seem to be a bit older then most people would prefer, but their intriguing concept of their roles keep the viewer watch this production again and again. The smaller roles are, as allways in the Bolshoi, wonderfull. The choreography of Grigorovich is outstanding - he is giving the men as much (or even more) great moments then te women. The set design buy Williams (famous for productions of Ivan Susanin, Eugene Onegin and the Swan Lake) is very romantic, but he does not go as low as most western set designers who prefer to fill the stage with flowers and animals. The late Alghis Zhuraitis is conducting with a clear conception of the score

The choreography and production values in general are lacking in this version of the ballet of Romeo and Juliet. This features a younger Besstomova who goes on to become a very good ballerina, but in this role, there is none of the passion or youth of Juliet. Romeo is no better. The sets are uninteresting and the costumes kinda tacky. The chorography isn't there either. It's generally uninteresting to watch, and the ending scene where Romeo dances with the dead Juliet is truly puzzling. She is at first stiff as a board, but still manages to be manuevred into very flexible positions. If you want a better Romeo and Juliet, try one choregraphed by MacMillian in the Royal Opera Ballet or something or Anthony Tudor's version. This one is for the birds!