ROMEO & JULIET at Theater at St. Jean

ROMEO & JULIET

Romeo and Juliet forbidden love set under the stars of Italy, Verona, in 14th century. Shakespeare story, ballet by Chiara Ajkun.

New York City choreographer Chiara Ajkun brings onstage yet another exciting ballet on love and nail-biting drama. Centered on the evolving feelings of the protagonists and facts that humanity tragically repeats, her Romeo and Juliet is a touching story of young love unaware of the surrounding drama.

The love story of Juliet begins shining under the stars of the Italian town of Verona when Romeo falls for her. Disaster looms between the Montague and Capulet families when Tybalt’s assassination sets the tragic ending in motion. Directed and Choreographed by Chiara Ajkun, performed by the Ajkun Ballet Company at the Theater at St. Jean (150 E 76th St, NYC).

There is a chilling currency in this fiction that William Shakespeare wrote between 1591 and 1596. Set to marry at a very young age, disapproved for freely falling in love, forced into suicide to escape society. The parallels are food for thought as captured in “The Lovers” by New York Times journalist Rod Nordland.

In Chiara Ajkun’s ballet, Romeo and Juliet are surrounded by adult drama and embraced by love. The nurse, the devoted friend Mercutio, their own. Raw emotions, complex characters and the inward-looking account of the protagonists choreographed and displayed as a gallery of art by the extraordinary cast. For the second time, Chiara enlists the skills of American Ballet Theatre’s principal dancer Herman Cornejo to coach the lead roles. “It adds dimension” says Chiara “to have an extraordinary artist like Herman review every gesture, every movement to make complexity as simple as an extra glance of the eye”.

Chiara’s Romeo & Juliet was originally commissioned by the Munson Williams Proctors Arts Institute to premiere at the Stanley Theatre and is part of The Originals, Chiara Ajkun ‘s collection of new ballets and the signature repertory of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Steeped in influences by artists of the 20th century, Chiara’s choreography has evolved from the tradition into one act contemporary ballets with at centerstage dance and emotions. Her spectacular, dynamic, elegant and expressive ballets are inspired to historical facts and legends and set to exquisite music selections and minimalist décor. See also www.ajkunbt.org/original-art

Chiara Ajkun is an Italian American choreographer, formerly a principal ballet dancer, and the artistic director of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Chiara has created original choreography for preeminent companies in 27 countries in Australia, Europe, North and South America and for movies produced by ABC, BBC, FOX, RAI national televisions. https://www.ajkunbt.org/chiara-ajkun