Romeo and Juliet

Prokofiev's popular ballet about Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers receives sumptuous treatment in this 2017 production from Milan's La Scala featuring Roberto Bolle in one of his signature roles, joined by Misty Copeland, the first female African American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theater. The pair prove to be an exceptional couple, with his tall, lean figure beautifully complementing her diminutive gracefulness. Their pas de deux exhibit a remarkable degree of elegance and they bring genuine pathos to the final tragic scene. The choreography is based on the classic version by Kenneth MacMillan, to which Bolle, Copeland, and all of the other dancers in Frédéric Olivieri's production bring impressive freshness, with Antonino Sutera as Mercutio and Mick Zeni as Tybalt standing out in the dramatic swordplay that leads to their characters' deaths. Featuring opulent sets by Mauro Carosi and costumes by Odette Nicoletti, this is a visually striking staging, and while one could wish for a spikier, more cutting presentation of the more aggressive sections of the score than what is provided by the company orchestra under Patrick Fournillier, the swooning romantic melodies are presented with great feeling. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. An excellent rendition of one of the 20th century's most enduring ballets, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)