Holiday Ballet Watchlist: Romeo and Juliette

Ready for something tragic?  Let's watch the tragedy that defined tragedies -- Romeo and Juliette, this production done by the Royal Danish Ballet.

Shakespeare's story has inspired many ballet versions, but the most frequently performed today is choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan, set to the dramatic score by Sergei Prokofiev. Although Prokofiev composed the music in the 1930s, the ballet reached its full expressive power with MacMillan’s 1965 production for The Royal Ballet.  This version is celebrated for its emotional realism, cinematic storytelling, and deeply human portrayal of Shakespeare’s tragic lovers.

Set in Verona, the ballet tells the story of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, whose families are locked in a bitter feud. The young lovers fall deeply in love, marry in secret, and are ultimately undone by violence, miscommunication, and fate. The ballet ends in tragedy, with their deaths finally reconciling the warring families.