Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers has never been more eloquently portrayed than in Queensland Ballet’s revival production of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s classic which broke box-office records when the company first danced it in Australia in 2014. The production is a remount of the 1992 Birmingham Royal Ballet production with set and costumes by Paul Andrews, lighting by John B. Read and swordfights by Gary Harris. The costumes are sumptuously Elizabethan, as is the rococo set, the lighting is appropriately moody and bold, whilst the swordfights were thrilling and would have done justice to any Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

I doubt we’ll see a better dance performance than Laura Hidalgo’s Juliet on stage this year. Bringing child-like innocence and pleasure to her grand jetes, a marvellous first-love energy to the balcony scene, and a haunted desperation to her Act 3 bedroom pas-de-deux, her range of emotions throughout was finely-tuned and articulated with superb control. Even when her lifeless body was being tossed around like a rag-dog by Romeo in the finale, she was incredibly moving.

Victor Estevez was a dashing Romeo. One of the ‘boys’ in the early trio with an excellent Camilo Ramos (Mercutio) and Joel Woellner (Benvolio), and a hopeless romantic when he’s smitten, he was every bit the story-book hero. Incredibly muscular in his lifts and arabesques, his balcony scene pas-de-deux was just beautifully romantic, as was the lover’s first kiss and the bedroom scene.

Vito Bernasconi, in vibrant red tights, dominated as the cocky but brooding Tybalt, and was simply breathtaking duelling in the swordfights. Mary Li repeated her role as the Nurse, Ari Thompson was the persistent and doomed Paris, whilst Serena Green, Tamara Hanton and Laura Tosar brought fire to the Harlots.

It was all wrapped up in a wonderous interpretation of Sergei Prokofiev’s iconic score. played by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Alondra de la Parra, it was her first time ever conducting the QSO for the ballet. I expect, like 2014, the season will deservedly sell out.

Peter Pinne   

Photographer: David Kelly