Bard SummerScape opened its sixth season with the world premiere of the original version of Sergey Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, on Motifs of Shakespeare. This production, which uses the original story concept by Soviet dramatist Sergey Radlov, and Prokofiev’s original music score, is choreographed by dance master Mark Morris. The fully staged production features the Mark Morris Dance Group and the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Botstein.
Bard’s historic world premiere production of Romeo & Juliet, on Motifs of Shakespeare includes 20 minutes of previously unheard music and six new dance numbers, along with the happy ending Prokofiev originally envisioned, but which, in the 1930s, Stalin’s regime disallowed. The work has been reconstructed from exclusive documents unearthed in Moscow by Princeton University musicologist and 2008 Bard Scholar in Residence Simon Morrison, and represents the first time Prokofiev’s ballet is performed as originally conceived by the composer. The production features scenic design by Allen Moyer, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting design by James F. Ingalls, all of whom are longtime collaborators of Mark Morris.
