Love kills.
The heart-wrenching tale of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," brought to dance with the theatrical choreography of Michael Smuin, launched Ballet West's 1996-97 season, aptly titled "Art Is in the Air."Though the ballet has been in hibernation for more than seven years, the intense performances of the dancers renewed the flames of love and brought that double-edged emotion to life.
Friday night's performance can be considered the most passionate performance of the company since bringing Smuin's version to Utah. And though some of the lifts in the first act were a tad wobbly, the dancers made up by focusing on their roles.
Jeffrey Rogers and Jane Wood danced the star-crossed lovers on opening night.
Rogers, who has since become one of Ballet West's precision-stamping leading men, portrayed the lovestruck Montague as a boy verging on the threshold of manhood. He, along with his two friends Mercutio (danced wonderfully by Gilles Maidon) and Benvolio (performed by a restless Jiang Qi), emitted the spirit of alliance and youth during their romps through the streets of Verona.
Wood's childlike Juliet encompassed Smuin's vision of innocence and wonder. Those characteristics bubbled to the surface during the playful pas de deux between the young daughter of Lord Capulet and the comedic - but dutiful - house nurse (Bene Arnold).
Smuin's theatrical mastery erupted throughout the three acts, but it was the opening street brawl that edged the audience to the ends of their seats. Acrobatic sword-play, flying fruit and tons of humor emitted applause from the excited audience.
Once again, Maidon's mischievous Mercutio stepped into the spotlight and immediately became the audience's favorite character. And when he was slain by Lady Capulet's snobby nephew Tybalt (Kevin Carpenter), an audible groan rumbled through the house.
Speaking of Tybalt, his scenes, for the most part, were more subtle than the other characters. Until the adulterous pas de trois involving him, the Lady and Lord Capulet.
Smuin's feel for the dynamic Prokofiev score (which was performed by the Utah Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Terence Kern) is nothing less than instinctive. Aside from the sword play, the incorporation of folk and character dance added a dash of authenticity to the production, as did a majestic ballroom scene. And when the trademark balcony scene is danced under a star-lit night, the tenderness radiates with breathtaking dedication. The audience members sat in nostalgic silence as they remembered their first loves.
In addition to the clever choreography, the lighting, sets and costumes (which were on loan from the San Francisco Ballet) brought the 17th century to Salt Lake City.
The story of "Romeo & Juliet," one of the most famous love stories in the world, has been performed by almost every theatrical outlet known to humankind. There have been remakes, adaptations, musicals and parodies. But Smuin's exciting ballet - as danced by Ballet West - truly captured the conflict, pain, passion and poetry of Shakespeare's original work.