Amal Choucri Catta hails the star-crossed lovers of Verona Romeo and Juliet, by Cairo Opera Ballet Company, Cairo Opera Orchestra, cond. Ivan Filev, artistic dir. Erminia Kamel, dir. Abdel-Moniem Kamel. Venue: Main Hall Cairo Opera House, 30 January to 4 February, 8pm Last week Cairo Opera presented a long-overdue reprisal of Serguey Prokofiev's exquisite three-act ballet Romeo and Juliet. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Egypt, the performances were based on a cooperation between the National Dance Company of Mexico, created in 1963 and the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, created in 1966. The Mexican soloists Blanca Rios and Harold Quintero are extraordinary performers, while among the Egyptians, stars such as Ahmed Yehia, as a particularly passionate Romeo, Prima Ballerina Katia Ivanova as frail and lovely Juliet, Hani Hassan as Juliet's bloodthirsty cousin Tybalt, Ahmed Nabil as Romeo's elegant, peace-loving friend Mercutio, and Maged Hamdi, Ahmed Saleh and Marina Derjoury as the great lady Capulet, are all fascinating dancers. The ballet, the brilliant choreography, the marvelous sets and costumes -- all were bound to turn this into a remarkable success. The purity of line and sense of space, the strong choreographic language, combined with the range of moods and sensibilities, enhanced by sequences of tragic orchestral power and glowing melodic colours, were particularly enchanting. The legend of Romeo and Juliet has spawned much artistic creation across all genres and several cultures. As many have observed, even before the story of the lovers of Verona was narrated, it had precedents, such as the ancient tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, one of the first examples of the union of Eros and death, where fate is determined by a misunderstanding, an arbitrary discrepancy in timing, a vital meeting that does not take place. Innumerable works of art are based on this dramatic scheme, though, surprisingly enough, dance did not pay much attention to the tale until the twentieth century. Only three danced versions are known prior to this time, as well as a fourth by Bronislava Nijinskaya for the Ballets Russes to music by Constant Lambert. It was only in 1938, with Serguey Prokofiev's score, that the myth of Romeo and Juliet made its grand entry into the world of dance. With its theatrically perfect structure, its alternating crowd scenes and intimate encounters, violent and tender colours, numerous leitmotifs, inventive orchestration, surges of anguish, savage joys and playful festivities, Prokofiev's score was bound to tempt choreographers. At Cairo Opera's Main Hall the orchestra was beautifully conducted by Maestro Ivan Filev, an old-timer from Bulgaria who has been with the opera's orchestras for about 20 years. It must, however, be said that the brass was not always adequate: the soloist obviously had breathing difficulties. The score presenting the Montagues and the Capulets musically contains one of Prokofiev's best-known themes, full of elegance and swaggering arrogance. At times the tunes are as light as chamber music, with Kandinsky-like flecks of colour from woodwinds and soft touches by the percussion. Tybalt's death, on the other hand, is an orchestral showpiece projected on its way with frantic string semiquavers, punctuated by stabbing brass and percussion; the climax is filled with screaming trumpets. The musical score is particularly expressive, starting with the lyrical introduction up to the overwhelming Fortissimo at the opening of Act I, as the black curtain, omen of death and damnation, is hurled to the ground, while priests softly walk to the chapel for morning prayers. As the scene changes, audiences are introduced to a lively vision of the marketplace where the Capulets and the Montagues, in their charming, colourful costumes, dance to vivid rhythms, while Romeo, son of Montague, chases the fair Rosalinda through the streets, before the fight that usually opposes the two families begins. At this point, the Duke appears, commanding the fight to stop, while asking all involved to lay down their swords. The tune is filled with a leitmotif of innocence as the scene leads the audience into Juliet's chambers where five lovely pink-clad, barefoot young ladies execute a charming dance. Lady Capulet then introduces Juliet to the noble Paris, her fiancé, showing her the beautiful wedding dress she is to wear for the occasion. That night the Capulets are giving a party for their friends. Following Rosalinda, Romeo enters the sumptuous residence without being invited. That is when he discovers Juliet and she discovers him. Theirs is love at first sight: they dance into a world of their own while the moon shines on velvet skies and summer breezes softly fill the night. The lovers pledge their everlasting love: their dance is an enchanting pas-de-deux with Juliet as light and as graceful as a feather swaying to dreamy tunes of violins, while Romeo carries her off to love-land. Romeo's costume is always white: a sign of purity, love and innocence; while Tybalt's costume is always black: a sign of evil, hatred and guilt. In Act II we return to the square where the citizens are celebrating the carnival while Juliet's nurse is looking for Romeo to give him a letter from his beloved. The scene is rather funny: when the nurse finally finds Romeo, he rushes of to Friar Lawrence's chapel to be joined in holy matrimony to Juliet. Outside, while people are still celebrating, Romeo joins his friend Mercutio who is fighting with Tybalt. When Mercutio is killed, a distraught and furious Romeo engages Tybalt in a duel and finally kills him. Act III opens onto Juliet's room where the couple is awakened by the sun's first rays. Having been exiled, Romeo must leave the city, while Juliet is being told by her parents that she will marry Count Paris that same day. Desperate, she rushes to Friar Lawrence who gives her a potion inducing death-like sleep. While in exile, Romeo is informed of Juliet's sudden death. He finds her in the Capulet's tomb and, believing she is really dead, he kills himself by drinking poison. When Juliet awakens, she finds Romeo dead. Heartbroken, she stabs herself. Thus Prokofiev's ballet has beautifully followed William Shakespeare's sad tale. With splendid sets and costumes, an excellent choreography and brilliant dancers marvelously directed by Erminia Kamel, Romeo and Juliet is once again among the most popular and successful ballets of Cairo Opera's Company. As the lovers died on stage, there was attentive silence in the hall; but as the curtain fell on the last notes, overwhelming cheers resounded through the entire building. It was indeed a fabulous show.
