It would seem that by Prokofiev’s time, the story of Romeo and Juliet had been exhausted in the arts. The fate of Prokofiev’s ballet music proves that this is not the case; in fact, the plot perhaps raises too many questions. At this concert, however, we get to see an even more unique side of the work. Without dancers, the work is typically performed as suites, which are merely excerpts from the original ballet score.

At this concert, however, the entire ballet score will be performed, which poses a serious challenge for the orchestra and, in many cases, stands on its own even without the dance. Furthermore, the narration and screening may shed new light on the work, even compared to previous performances.

The visual material for the concert is provided by the Hungarian State Opera House. The footage features excerpts from the Hungarian National Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet from the 2025/2026 season of the Opera House.

Photos: Attila Nagy and Valter Berecz