Romeo und Julia

“No stone wall can withstand love; and love dares all that love can do.” The feud between the Montague and Capulet clans rages relentlessly, and hatred runs deep in this society marked by violence. In this environment, two young people meet and fall in love—but where violence and destruction reign, love cannot survive.

With *Romeo and Juliet* , Sergei Prokofiev created a captivating ballet score that offers subtle musical characterizations of the two lovers and captivates with its rhythmic complexity and sonic intensity.

French choreographer Etienne Béchard, who skillfully blends contemporary dance, theater, and acrobatics in his work and reinterprets Shakespeare’s drama from a modern perspective, presents his take on Prokofiev’s highly emotional masterpiece. Béchard’s choreographies have taken him to the Ballet de l’Opéra du Rhin, the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, and the Bühnen Bern. This year marks his debut before the Graz audience.