Romeo & Juliet

Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet, set to Prokofiev's sweeping score, is the great dramatic ballet of the 20th century. Its premiere at the Royal Opera House on 9 February 1965, with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in the title roles, drew 43 curtain calls — one of the most celebrated nights in ballet history. MacMillan broke with convention by choreographing dancing that grew organically from dramatic action rather than set-piece display, creating a Juliet who is headstrong and passionate, and a Romeo swept off his feet by love. From the balcony pas de deux to the shattering final scene in the tomb, the ballet remains peerless in its ability to translate Shakespeare's tragedy into pure movement.