Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev, S 24 jūn 2023, No (2022/2023), Diriģents Konstantin Chudovsky, Alexey Bogorad, Pavel Klinichev, Artem Abashev, Ekaterinburg Opera, Ekaterinburg, Russia

"Romeo and Juliet" by Vyacheslav Samodurov has become the hallmark of the theater and troupe. This performance is unmistakable from any of the numerous productions of Prokofiev's ballet: it is easily recognizable by the costumes (casual with fragments of Renaissance paintings) and set design - a dangerously tilted red structure is reminiscent of Shakespeare's Globe Theater. And one more thing - in terms of the choreographic language: classical steps are fused with non-classical dance jargon and served at an inflated pace, the brutality and rigidity of the plastics hide the fragility and vulnerability of the characters. The plot of Shakespeare's tragedy remains unchanged, and the performance begins as a rehearsal for the ballet Romeo and Juliet. His characters do not act in a specific country and era: the action takes place always and everywhere. Or today and under your windows: it is no coincidence that the audience recognized the modern “boys and girls from Uralmash” in the heroes of the ballet - this is how they wrote about them on social networks. The motive of the struggle between the two clans disappears: it is not so important to which families the participants in street battles belong. Another theme comes forward - the immutability of habits and the inexorability of rituals. A tragedy occurs on the stage and the young lovers die, but then everyone calmly goes home, and tomorrow a new rehearsal will begin, and the story will be played from the beginning.