It is hard to find a person whose heart has not been touched by the romantic story of Romeo and Juliet. Personally, I fell in love with Shakespeare at the tender age of thirteen and have been an admirer ever since. This is why I was extremely excited to see the ballet hosted by Teatro dell’Opera’s open-air theatre at the Caracalla Baths in Rome, an archeological site located near the Colosseum and Circus Maximus.
It was begun as an experiment, in the late ’30s of the last century, but quickly won love and applause all over the world. A marvelous stage under the sky is prepared in the ruins of an ancient Roman bathhouse. The theater has an excellent blend of beautiful lightings, stage set, modern techniques and a great history.
In the period from 30th July to the 4th of August, the stage will be held by an incredible cast of Giuliano Peparini. The world’s most tragic story of the two most famous Verona’s lovers and their impossible love – Romeo andJuliet.
The new version presented on the music by Sergei Prokofiev is created by the talented choreographer Giuliano Peparini and has a new edge to the story. Peparini makes a bold move by adding breakdancers to the show which make it even more spectacular and striking. The costumes designer Frédéric Olivier made the costumes faithful to the original story’s period but with a modern touch. You could see the male dancers wearing jeans, shirts and even sneakers.
The scenery designed by Lucia D’Angelo and Cristina Querzola and the lights by Jean-Michel Désiré highlight the magnificence of the background of the ruins and make you feel that you are actually in Verona.
Charming music, written by Sergey Prokofiev is played live by the orchestra. Conducted by David Levi, it completes the whole image of the story and adds a special charm to the evening.
The love story of Romeo and Juliet is still very relevant today and I was happy to see a full audience consisting of both the locals and visitors of Rome.
Going to the open air theatre at Caracalla was an event to anticipate and dress up for and I could not resist taking a photo with the backdrop of one of the most important archeological sites in Rome.
Teatro Dell’Opera di Roma has prepared an amazing program for the fall season so if you love opera or ballet, visit their website https://www.operaroma.it and follow their Instagram @opera_roma
Have a beautiful time discovering the cultural side of Rome,
Slava Noor
