Later this month a touring production of the Broadway musical West Side Story will be playing at Conexus Arts Centre. While it’s set in 1950s New York, the story itself, which focuses on the star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria, is inspired by Shakespeare’s classic tale of young love Romeo and Juliet.
Monday, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is in town to present its version of a ballet based on Shakespeare’s play. The ballet was scored by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev and debuted in what is now the Czech Republic in 1938. The RWB has been known to rework classic ballets, giving them a modern edge for 21st century audiences, but this production (with choreography by Rudi van Dantzig) is apparently faithful to Shakespeare’s original story which is set in 16th century Verona.
Romeo + Juliet goes tomorrow at Conexus Arts Centre at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $32.50-$84 and can be obtained by calling 306-525-9999. To give you a taste here’s a teaser trailer from a 2013 production of Prokofiev’s ballet mounted by the Australian Ballet:
