ROMEO & JULIET @ NYC Ballet

Sunday January 17, 2020 matinee - The controversial Peter Martins staging of ROMEO AND JULIET at New York City Ballet was something I almost skipped this season. I don't really have any particular issues with the production; I simply feel this story does not translate well into dance. Too many of the key episodes - a secret wedding ceremony, a bridal night, a double suicide - are not really things you want to see danced. I've always thought Sean Lavery's lovely rendering of the Balcony Scene is all the ROMEO I ever really need to see. 

But, Prokofiev's score stimulates the ear - though I prefer his CINDERELLA - and I am very partial to the interpretations of the title-roles by Allen Peiffer and Erica Pereira (in two Paul Kolnik photos, above). I saw them together in the last revival and they were wonderful again today, so youthful and ardent. Erica is not only a very impressive dancer technically but she is a very moving actress, especially considering how young she is. Allen is a perfect Romeo to her Juliet, by turns dreamy and impetuous. They danced together in perfect harmony and the nearly-full house showered them with affectionate applause when they stepped before the curtain for a bow.

Andrew Veyette as Mercutio and Tyler Angle as Tybalt were both very accomplished in their virtuoso passages and they are both good actors; Austin Laurent's lithe, gangly Benvolio was likewise expert. Georgina Pazcoguin as the Nurse and Jonathan Stafford as Friar Laurent are excellent characterizations, and it is not Albert Evans' fault that he is stuck in an odd costume and head-dress as the Prince of Verona. Ana Sophia Scheller made the most of her moments onstage as Tybalt's un-named girlfriend, and Lauren King was exceptionally pretty leading a quintet of Juliet's friends.

Darci Kistler, beautifully costumed, was again Lady Capulet and today Ask LaCour was her spouse, creating a believable character torn between his love for Juliet and his absolute need to have her obey his wishes. After he struck his daughter he was overcome with remorse. In an outstanding performance Adrian Danchig-Waring made Paris more than just a cardboard unwanted suitor - he was elegant and ardent yet there was also a sense of menace just under the surface; one felt that he might have ended up treating Juliet with indifference or even cruelty had she deigned to marry him.

Clothilde Otranto conducted and the orchestra played well. Though seemingly compressed, the production does have its longeurs, and the sword-fighting looked tamer and less spontaneous than in past performances.

Comments

[Jeannie]

Sean Lavery's balcony scene is definitely the only Romeo I need to see. I do love Alan Peiffer, though, and would love to see him dance the Lavery balcony scene. I also love the Prokofiev music from that part of the ballet.

[Philip]

It would definitely be good to see Allen and Erica in the Lavery setting.

[Laura]

I love Adrian Danchig-Waring. I think he is so talented and visually appealing. Would love to see him in even more on stage...I foresee a Principal promotion someday in his future.

[Philip]

I agree completely about Adrian - he's really a unique presence onstage.

[Bob]

I caught last night's (Thursday, Jan. 21) performance of Romeo and Juliet and it was a winner. I'm happy to report that the swordfighting was again up to snuff. Danny Ulbricht as Mercutio and Joaquin DeLuz as Tybalt put on a dazzling display of swordfighting and their dancing was quite spectacular as well.

Your observation of Adrian Danchig-Waring's Paris was very insightful. Beneath the exterior charm and elegance, there was in fact more than a hint of menace. If I were Juliet's father, I would immediately have had second thoughts about that engagement and there is no doubt that if Juliet had been forced to marry him, her life would have been extremely unhappy.

In the lead roles, Kathryn Morgan and Rob Fairchild (subbing for Sean Suozzi) were magical together. Katie Morgan's performance as Juliet was simply beautiful, indeed sublime. Her dancing was, as always, exquisite and she did not just ACT Juliet - she WAS Juliet.

[Philip]

Thank you for the notes about the Katie Morgan Juliet. I really wanted to see her in the role but the dates were just not good for me...next time they do it I will see her for sure.

[Andrea]

I had to miss Katie's Juliet this year also but glad to read that it was a success, just as I expected it would be.