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"Romeo & Juliet": A Beautiful Tragedy from The American Ballet Theater

Gillian Murphy in Romeo and Juliet. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

At the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, on the evening of Thursday, July 14th, I had the privilege to attend American Ballet Theater’s production of Kennth MacMillan’s splendid version of Romeo and Juliet—set to the extraordinary score by Sergei Prokofiev, here ably conducted by Charles Barker—bringing a marvelous season to a satisfying close. The handsome scenery and costumes were designed by Nicholas Georgiadis, with effective lighting by Thomas Skelton.

The success of the event owed the most to an impressive cast. The fabulous Gillian Murphy—probably the finest ballerina in the company—was superb in the title role—she excelled this season as Odile/Odette in Swan Lake. Her partner, Thomas Forster, has the appearance of a matinee idol—this season he danced admirably as the lead in Alexei Ratmansky’s new Of Love and Rage, as well as in Swan Lake, as Prince Siegfried—but memories of the the inimitable David Hallberg as Romeo were not eclipsed. However, Garegin Pogossian as Mercutio, was simply dazzling in what I imagine will be a breakout performance. 
 
There were some outstanding dancers in the secondary cast that included Roman Zhurbin as Tybalt, Patrick Frenette as Benvolio, Eric Tamm as Paris, Alexandra Basmagy as Lady Capulet, John Gardner as Lord Capulet, Rubén Martín as both Escalus, Prince of Verona and Friar Laurence, Courtney Lavine as Rosaline, Claire Davison as Nurse, Kiely Groenewgen as Lady Montague, and Duncan Lyle as Lord Montague. Especially exceptional though were the Three Harlots: Katherine Williams, Scout Forsythe, and Courtney Shealy. The excellent corps de ballet were terrific in several scenes. The artists were enthusiastically applauded.
 
ABT will return to Lincoln Center, at the David Koch Theater, in the fall.

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