Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen’s 10th anniversary season with Boston Ballet leaps to an exciting start with John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet.
Last performed by BB in 2008, Shakespeare’s classic tragedy of two star-crossed lovers and their feuding families comes back to the stage. We all know the story, but it’s the casting that makes or breaks this performance. And make it Boston Ballet does! Juliet is the perfect role for Misa Kuranaga — she understands the character development and gracefully executes Juliet’s playful, childlike demeanor as she turns into a dramatic teen. Nissinen makes the right decision pairing her with Nelson Madrigal’s Romeo. Their chemistry makes the romance believable.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a good story for cold fall nights. Its big sets, big costumes, big ensemble sections are like comfort food. On the surface, there’s more pomp and circumstance and pantomime and fancy walks than technical ballet, but at its core the scenes are so intimate it’s like you’re looking in on a private love story.
