Plushenko to Skate Romeo and Juliet Program
http://en.ria.ru/sports/20120622/174184298.html
The seven-time European champion, 29, is in Italy working with Japanese choreographer and former skater Kenji Miyamoto on the program, Mishin said.
“I suggested to Zhenya [Plushenko] to work with Japanese choreographer Kenji Miyamoto, he’s making him a free program to the music of Romeo and Juliet,” Mishin said.
“It’s working out very well. I’m very satisfied with Zhenya’s mood and working condition.”
Which R+J will he use? Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Rota, or the R+J soundtrack?
ETA- Nevermind. He's using Rota.
Last edited by blue dog; 06-22-2012 at 04:21 PM.
I am really looking forward to this program just for the comparison. For the simple reason Hanyu did an amazing Romeo and Juliet this last season which I thought set a really high bar for ambition, for the range of emotion it encompasses. Wasn't it choreographed from a Russian couple? (Sorry can't remember the choreographers name.) Romeo and Juliet is of course the ultimate love story in the English Language by William Shakespeare, and the sound track he has performed to was also written by the English film composer Craig Armstrong.
And now, his hero Plushy is doing another version of Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by a Japanese based on the original classic film version. The credits basically swapped nationality. Talk about art cross all boarders and the ultimate cultural exchange. Nino Rota is probably the greatest old school Italian film composer of all time, and of course Romeo and Juliet is set in Italy. It should be really interesting to see what they can come up with. I am ready to be dashed by Plushy! Though Hanyu has set the bar high, theoretically Plushy can show him how it should be done? Or will he not able to meet the 'standard'.
I am looking forward to see the battle of the Romeos... who will be better?
Last edited by os168; 06-22-2012 at 04:53 PM.
Guess I'm skeptical! Having a beautiful piece of music won't make up for a lack of grace and fluidity on the ice.
Stravinsky did not compose Romeo and Juliet. I think you mean Prokofiev who had a Romeo and Juliet ballet.Originally Posted by blue dog
Great pic, thanks for posting it! I dont know if I m most thrilled for Camerlego's sp or Miyamoto's LpAnything new is exciting anyway!
Last edited by Tonichelle; 06-22-2012 at 07:20 PM. Reason: editted to remove reference to moderated post. :)
I hope Plushenko is not portraying Romeo. A 29-30 year old Romeo romancing and marrying 14 year old Juliet in secret is worse than unpalatable to me.
Normally I'd agree with you, SF, but this is the magic of theater: if it's done right, the age melts away. i know that the Zeffirelli movie (the one with the Rota music) cast young teenagers in the leads to match Shakespeare's original intent, but two of the best performances of this pair were Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in the ballet (with Prokofiev's music), and (I finally got to see this!) the old MGM movie with a thirty-year-old Norma Shearer and a forty-year-old Leslie Howard. (In the ballet, Fonteyn, older than Nureyev by quite a bit, was at least in her forties.) There's a magic realm in which these portrayals work perfectly, and it's especially effective in less literal performing arts, such as opera, ballet, and skating. So I'd give him a look before worrying about Juliet's age, unless Plushy actually skates with a fourteen-year-old partner. Besides, he might decide to portray, say, Mercutio or Tybalt. (By the way, the Mercutio in the MGM movie was an aging but amazing John Barrymore. It's worth a look!)
Last edited by Olympia; 06-22-2012 at 08:09 PM.
He could do the reduced shakespeare company's version... it's my favorite take on that story anyway.
Maybe the magic of theatre revived the young couple and they lived on to at least 30 years old.
It doesn't concern me if a 50 year old marries a 100 year old or a 25 year old marries a 50 year old. But a 30 year old with a child bride, behind her parents, just no!
Certainly true, SF. But I'm assuming that if Plushy is 30 or so on "stage," so to speak, any Juliet we imagine him skating with would also be around that age. I wouldn't imagine him with a "baby ballerina" as his Juliet...ugh.
Last edited by Olympia; 06-22-2012 at 08:35 PM.
I think some people are making too big a deal out of the character he is portraying. It does not matter- he is just skating to the wonderful music. This is not pair skating so he is going to do it alone. There won't be any kissing or anything else on the ice.
Last edited by DianaSelene; 06-22-2012 at 09:06 PM.
The role of Romeo belongs to the likes of Rippon and Hanyu, not the old master. I don't want to see Rippon and Hanyu reprising the role ten years from now either.
I've been scarred watching aged rock stars singing their teenage hits.
so does that mean all the pairs and ice dance teams were also wrong? I think it's undue attention, looking for a reason to dislike. I'm no fan of Plush's, but this will probably be one of the least controversial programs he's ever done.
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