New Jersey Ballet Presents Two Events At MPAC May 19-20

Enjoy a weekend of fabulous ballet when New Jersey Ballet performs two events at Mayo Performing Arts Center. Saturday, May 19 at 8 pm, it presents The Bard's Ballet's: Romeo and Juliet and MacBeth. Tickets are $29-$59.

On Sunday, May 20 at 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm, the family favorite Cinderella takes the stage. Tickets are $15-$25.

Romeo & Juliet
Choreography by Johan Renvall
Music by Sergei Prokofiev
Costumes by Paul H. McRae, Lori Christman, Patricia Levinson
Fencing Coach Dayn DeRose

In Renaissance Verona, two prominent families - the Montagues and the Capulets - are engaged in a bloody feud which dooms their children to death. Juliet's grieving nurse and Friar Lawrence tell the story. The trouble begins when Romeo and his friends crash a party at the Capulet's. He and Juliet fall in love at first sight and later meet at night in Capulet's garden. Friar Lawrence marries the couple in secret. Not long after, Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel and in the ensuing fight, Romeo's friend is slain and Romeo kills Tybalt. Now wanted for murder, Romeo flees and Juliet again turns to Friar Lawrence. He gives Juliet a potion which will make her appear dead. Once in her tomb, Romeo will come and awaken her. A missed message and bad timing, and the teens miss their opportunity and they die together.

This ballet premiered at the Aspen Summer Festival in 1986. Now expanded from its original length, one critic called it, "As fine a piece as NJB has ever owned." Another applauded, "A gem."

MACBETH: Ballet Suite
Choreography and Staging by Konstantin Dournev
Music by Kirill Moltchanov
Costumes by Julia Vorobyeva

Macbeth takes place in Medieval Scotland. Macbeth, a brave general in King Duncan's army, meets three witches who tell him he will become King of Scotland, but not without bloodshed. Macbeth writes to tell Lady Macbeth of the prediction. At home in the castle, Lady Macbeth watches as three actors perform a play in which a Queen betrays a King, he finds out and kills her lover, and out of revenge, the Queen kills the King. Her husband's letter and the play inspire Lady Macbeth to make a plan. She urges her husband to murder Duncan and assume the throne at once. He does, but the guilt and horror push Macbeth into madness. In the end, the witches see to it that he falls victim to his own ambition. This version is based in part on a production created by Vladimir Vasiliev for the Bolshoi.

Cinderella

The classic fairy tale comes to life with lavish sets and costumes, performed with New Jersey Ballet's original "storyteller" narration so little children can follow the story.
Ages 4+

Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2017-2018 season is made possible, in part, by a grant the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation and numerous corporations, foundations and individuals. The Mayo Performing Arts Center has been designated a Major Presenting Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Mayo Performing Arts Center was named 2016 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres, and is ranked in the top 50 mid-sized performing arts centers by Pollstar Magazine.

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