Universal Ballet Company Performs 'Romeo and Juliet' After 8 Years

May 10-12 at the Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center

The Universal Ballet Company will perform the masterpiece of dramatic ballet, "Romeo and Juliet," at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center from May 10 to 12.

"Romeo and Juliet," performed by the Universal Ballet Company, is a work choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan (1929?1992), a British master of dramatic ballet. "Romeo and Juliet" is MacMillan's representative work that elevated him to the ranks of world-renowned choreographers. It premiered in 1965 at Covent Garden in the UK, receiving enthusiastic applause for 40 minutes and 43 curtain calls. Since then, it has become a signature repertoire piece of the Royal Ballet in the UK and has been performed over 400 times worldwide.

Moon Hoon-sook, director of the Universal Ballet Company, explained, "'Romeo and Juliet' is a quintessential dramatic ballet that harmoniously blends MacMillan's original choreography with the fantastic music of Sergei Prokofiev, capturing the emotions and narrative psychological flow."

Kang Miseon [Photo by Universal Ballet]

The Universal Ballet Company was the first domestic company to perform MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet" in 2012 and staged it again in 2016 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. This year, marking the 40th anniversary of the company's founding, they will present the performance for the third time in eight years.

The Universal Ballet's principal dancers Kang Mi-sun, Lee Hyun-jun, and Konstantin Novoselov will perform, along with guest dancers including Seohui, principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).

Seohui joined ABT in 2005 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2012, becoming the first Asian to achieve this rank. She is currently a leading figure at ABT. Alongside Seohui, Daniel Camargo from Brazil, who has been a principal dancer at ABT since 2022, will also grace the stage.

Kang Mi-sun, the Universal Ballet's star dancer who won the "Benois de la Danse" award last year, will perform alongside Lee Hyun-jun. Konstantin Novoselov will share the stage with rising star Lee Yu-rim. Lee Yu-rim joined the Universal Ballet last year after seven years with the Hungarian National Ballet.

"Romeo and Juliet" offers a spectacular visual experience with stage sets and costumes reflecting the 16th-century Renaissance era. Beautiful architecture such as arched entrances, statues, high staircases, and terraces decorate the stage, while dancers wear antique costumes and accessories to present a lavish performance.

The dancers showcase advanced techniques and delicate emotional acting. In particular, Juliet's psychological changes and growth vividly demonstrate the characteristics of dramatic ballet. Juliet transforms from an innocent girl playing with her nurse to falling uncontrollably in love for the first time, despairing over her tragic fate, rebelling against her father who forces an unwanted engagement, and finally becoming a woman who takes responsibility for her love, delivering dramatic emotional performances. Especially in Act 3, Juliet faces the audience for an extended period, revealing deep anguish. Notable scenes include the lovely balcony pas de deux under the moonlight, the Capulet's masked ball, the fight in Verona Square, and the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt in Act 2.

Tickets for the Universal Ballet Company's "Romeo and Juliet" are available at the Seoul Arts Center and Interpark Ticket.