Hong Kong Ballet | Romeo + Juliet | New York City Center

About

Jan 13 & 14, 2023
Fri | 8pm
Sat | 2pm

“Transposing the action from medieval Italy to 1960s Hong Kong is an ingenious idea … Visually the production is stunning.”
—South China Morning Post

Ancient grudges between triad families. Passion and tragedy. The iconic balcony scene. Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star-crossed lovers is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling in Septime Webre’s new Romeo + Juliet. Juliet’s father is an unrelenting Shanghainese tycoon who is determined to marry his only daughter off to a wealthy gweilo (Caucasian), and Webre’s original choreography seamlessly incorporates intense street battles rendered in traditional Hong Kong-style kung fu. Accompanied by Prokofiev’s dramatic score, retro Hong Kong is vividly brought to life in the epic love story’s captivating dancing, complex drama and sumptuous cheongsams. This brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

Chen Zhiyao and Lilin; photo by SWKit

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Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. Mahjong game under iconic neon lights and billboards.

Jonathan Spigner, Venus Villa, Wang Qingxin and Wei Wei in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Tony Luk. Juliet and her fiancé Mr Parker, a wealthy gweilo (Caucasian).

Albert Gordon, Garry Corpuz and Jackson Dwyer in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. Little Mak, Romeo and Benny slip in to a party on a floating restaurant.

Septime Webre’s *Romeo + Juliet*; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. A lavish gala dinner at the floating restaurant, inspired by one of Hong Kong’s landmarks the Jumbo Floating Restaurant.

Wang Qingxin and Li Lin in Septime Webre’s *Romeo + Juliet*; photo by Tony Luk. Juliet’s mother and Tai Po (who is both Juliet’s father’s associate and Juliet’s mother’s lover).

Ye Feifei and Garry Corpuz in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. At the balcony, Romeo and Juliet declare their love for each other.

Zhang Xuening, Ye Feifei and Garry Corpuz in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. Romeo and Juliet secretly commit themselves to each other at a temple, with Romeo’s Sifu and the Amah present.

Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Tony Luk. Little Mak and Tai Po trade escalating insults and a fight ensues.

Ye Feifei and Garry Corpuz in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Conrad Dy-Liacco. Romeo and Juliet spend the night together in Juliet’s bedroom.

Shen Jie and Venus Villa in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet; photo by Tony Luk. Romeo poisons himself in his despair.

Cast & Credits

Choreography by Septime Webre
Music by Sergei Prokofiev
Costume Design by Mandy Tam
Set Design by Ricky Chan
Assistant Set Designer: Ryan Lo
Lighting Design by Ruby Yau
Original Lighting Design and Lighting Consultant: Billy Chan
Dramaturgy by Yan Pat To
Make-Up Design by M·A·C Cosmetics
Martial Arts Advisor: Hing Chao
Martial Arts Partner: International Guoshu Association

Romeo: Alejandro Virelles (January 13), Taras Domitro (January 14)
Juliet: Ye Feifei (January 13), Xuan Cheng (January 14)
Juliet’s Mother: Wang Qingxin
Juliet’s Father: Wei Wei (January 13), Yonen Takano (January 14)
Juliet’s Amah: Zhang Xuening (January 13), Yang Ruiqi (January 14)
Tai Po*: Garry Corpuz (January 13), Alexander Yap (January 14)
Little Mak*: Chun Long Leung (January 13), Albert Gordon (January 14)
Benny: Jonathan Spigner (January 13), Kyle Lin (January 14)
Romeo’s Sifu: Ethan Chudnow (January 13), Garry Corpuz (January 14)