The Hong Kong Ballet‘s U.S. Premiere of Romeo + Juliet made a  stunning debut at nycitycenter.org’ on January 13, 14, 2023

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.  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 rich sets and costumes. This brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

The Hong Kong Ballet’s limited engagement of Romeo and Juliet at the New York City Center was a rare opportunity to see one of the world’s premier dance companies on stage. The production is not to be missed by fans of ballet and lovers of classic literature.

With almost 50 tours to 11 countries, HKB most recently toured Europe, Mainland China and the US, at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and in New York at the Joyce Theatre and the renowned Fall for Dance Festival. In addition to its performances on stage at home and abroad, HKB maintains a full schedule of community engagement initiatives throughout Hong Kong to ensure the art of ballet is accessible to all. Since its debut in 2020, the HKBALLET@HOME online channel has garnered over 2 million views, connecting with ballet lovers across the globe.