Boston Ballet.

The Wang Theater Boston, Massachusetts May 8-18, 2003

The Boston Ballet presented the American premiere of Rudi van Dantzig's 1967 ballet, Romeo and Juliet, based on Shakespeare's play and set to Sergei Prokofiev's score. Although the company already has two versions in its repertoire--Choo San Goh's version premiered in 1984; Daniel Pelzig's in 1997--van Dantzig's work differs in its streamlined attack on the events of the plot and its realistic portrayal of the violence of the times.

The casting for Juliet included Pollyana Ribeiro, Adriana Suarez, newly promoted principal dancer Sarah Lamb, and Jennifer Gelfand, who retires from the company in October. Simon Ball and Paul Thrussell who are also leaving the troupe, corps de ballet member Sabi Varga, and Yury Yanowsky performed the role of Romeo; Thrussell doubled as Mercurio, Yanowsky as Tybalt in some casts. The opening night performance produced a bit of unexpected additional drama: As Tybalt, Viktor Plotnikov, one of the company's strongest character dancers, jammed a foot and was replaced in the second act by Yanowsky. In two of the four casts, Ribeiro gave a heartbreaking performance of a child-woman in love; partner Ball was technically strong but the chemistry between them was only lukewarm, compared to the adolescent frenzy between Lamb and Varga, a partnership to be nurtured.

The first two acts take place chiefly on the Verona square, dominated by the Capulets' foreboding float portal. WITHIN MINUTES OF THE OPENING CURTAIN, VAN DANTZIG ESTABLISHES HIS MAJOR PREMISE--THAT THE VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE TWO WARRING FAMILIES HAS POISONED EVERYONE IN THE CITY--AND A FULL-STATE SWORD FIGHT ERUPTS, FORESHADOWING THE FATAL DUEL BETWEEN TYBALT AND MERCUTIO. Fight director Robert Walsh deserves applause for the vigor and realism of the combat staging.

The contrasting economic status between street folk and the preening young Capulets is another running Theme. As the richly dressed couples enter the ball, the peasants crowd at the doorstep, hungry tot a glimpse of the local celebs. Van Dantzig emphasized the macho behavior of Tybalt and the Capulets by filling the men's dances with thrusting, angry movement. By contrast, Juliet has a long moment standing alone and still at the hall, after her first glimpse of Romeo. The choreographer added a new twist by bringing Tybalt and Mercutio back to life as ghosts to hover over, Juliet, along with a puppet figure of Death, carried on the back of a dancer, to prance with glee in the square.

The company looked well rehearsed and confident, with the added luster of Eva Evdokimova and Raymond Lukens, members of the coaching staff, and former company member Arthur Leeth in the senior roles. The production's dark, brooding tone was set by scenery and costume designer Toer van Schayk a frequent van Dantzig collaborator. With Romeo and Juliet, Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen closes out his first season with a fistful of glowing notices from the critics, a need for budget-watching due to the economic malaise, and the challenge of replacing one-third of the company, due to the exodus of many dancers.