International Ballet Premiere of "Romeo and Juliet"

Opera Plovdiv presents the premiere of the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" by Prokofiev as part of the OPERA OPEN 2024 program at the Ancient Theatre on July 12. The production is by the renowned choreographer Valentina Turcu, head of the Ballet of the Maribor Theatre in Slovenia, and the orchestra is conducted by Maestro Dian Tchobanov, director of Opera Plovdiv. The set designer is Marko Japelj, costumes are by Leo Kulaš, and lighting is by Tomáš Premzl. For the roles of the two young lovers from Verona, Anelia Dimitrova, principal ballerina of the State Opera Stara Zagora ballet, and Andrea Schifano, soloist of the Slovak National Theatre Ballet, have been invited. Other central roles are performed by Amedeo Giunta, Sebastian Harper, Miguel Garcia, Elena Kuchkova, Dian Raychev, and Antonio Rosas from the multinational ballet troupe of Opera Plovdiv, led by Mariana Kräncheva and répétiteur Petya Dimova.

"Romeo and Juliet" is undoubtedly one of the most popular and enduring tragic love stories of all time. Inspired by William Shakespeare's immortal tragedy, Sergei Prokofiev's ballet tells the story of two young lovers who dream of a life filled with unbridled passion and fervent love in a daring and brutal era, where questions of life and death are often resolved irrationally and in an atmosphere heated by passions. Valentina Turcu's creative approach reflects the iconography of Renaissance paintings and architecture, but also includes the contemporary relevance of the eternal desire for love. The "hunger" for life and new experiences from love—sensuality, cruelty, and passion—are at the heart of the intractable dramatic conflict that leads to the tragic end of two young idealists. The choreography is firmly rooted in the classical lexicon but is used with flexibility and inventiveness to emphasize the characters.

A graduate of the legendary Maurice Béjart, Valentina Turcu is an exceptional dancer and choreographer. Her work includes over 130 ballet, theatre, and opera productions, and her ballets tour worldwide. Her works are described by critics as sensational emotional experiences, visionary ideas, unique sensory poetry, and a sense of theatre. Turcu is the recipient of the Slovenian State Award for her outstanding achievement as a director and choreographer for the production of "Romeo and Juliet" in 2012 at the Slovenian National Theatre in Maribor, which was also successfully staged in Riga in 2014 and Vilnius in 2015.

With its lush, captivating music and intricate choreography, "Romeo and Juliet" remains a beloved classical ballet repertoire. Prokofiev captures the intensity of the lovers' emotions—from the joy of their first meeting to the tragedy of their untimely death. Few can fail to recall the Dance of the Knights, Juliet as a Young Girl, Dawn, Minuet, and other captivating numbers from the ballet's music. The ballet adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" has been performed countless times worldwide, captivating audiences with its timeless story of unrequited love and ultimate tragedy. It is, in fact, the third most performed ballet in the world after "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker."

The second premiere date of "Romeo and Juliet" is on September 4 at the Ancient Theatre. Tickets for OPERA OPEN 2024 are sold at the box offices of Opera Plovdiv, through the Eventim network, online at eventim.bg, and grabo.bg.

The ballet premiere is part of the official program of Plovdiv – European Capital of Culture 2019.