English National Ballet return with Nureyev’s timeless production of Romeo & Juliet, at the Palace Theatre, Manchester on October 14 – 17

Newsquest Northwest has joined forces with the Palace Theatre, Manchester to promote this competition. Our lucky readers have the chance to win a pair of tickets to the 7.30pm performance on October 14, 2010 in this easy to enter giveaway.

Rudolf Nureyev’s unforgettable staging of Shakespeare’s famous love story is brought to the stage at the Palace Theatre, Manchester this autumn by the English National Ballet – with help from his original Juliet.

Patricia Ruanne, who originally danced Juliet when Nureyev created the production in 1977, is passing on her expertise to today’s generation of Juliets.

This is part of her job as repetituer for English National Ballet’s current revival of Romeo & Juliet.

Repetituers pass on their own knowledge of the choreography which was originally passed down to them as dancers – in Patricia Ruanne’s case Nureyev created the role of Juliet actually on her so there is no one better around than Patricia to guide the Company’s current dancers.

This tragic tale of doomed love follows the plight of young adolescents, Romeo & Juliet. From the breath-taking sword-fights between the Capulets and Montagues to the spell-binding romance of the iconic balcony scene, Nureyev’s award-winning production blazes with passion.

Nureyev’s choreography gives Romeo, as well as Juliet, exciting and difficult steps, not least because he first danced the role of Romeo when he created the production. With Renaissance-style backcloths and authentic Italian-designed fabrics for the costumes, upon curtain-up audiences will be transported to 16th Century Verona.

Romeo & Juliet is performed by the company’s 67 dancers to a sumptuous score by Prokofiev, (audiences might recognise the music in the grand ballroom scene as the theme to the BBC’s The Apprentice) played by the 70 piece English National Ballet’s orchestra.

Wayne Eagling, Artistic Director of ENB, said: “As a young dancer I saw Rudi dance Romeo with Dame Margot Fonteyn, then as I rose through the ranks I would play Benvolio to his Romeo, and now I am staging his version of the ballet as the Artistic Director of the company he created it for.”

The company’s Autumn tour is supported by Sky Arts, who are season sponsors of English National Ballet.

English National Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet

Thursday, October 14 – Sunday, October 17

Performance times: Thurs– Sat 7.30pm; Thurs matinee 2pm, Sat & Sun matinee 2.30pm

Tickets: £11 - £36

Booking line: 0844 847 2275* subject to booking fee

Groups of 10+ Mon-Fri 10am-6pm: 0844 372 7272

www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

HOW TO WIN!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question and email your answer, together with your name, address and daytime contact telephone number (please mark Romeo in your subject line). Closing date is 9.00am on October 5, 2010. Usual Newsquest Northwest rules apply. See competition rules section for details. No purchase necessary.

Question: Which actress played Juliet in Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film Romeo & Juliet?

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Terms and Conditions:

The editor's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Employees of Newsquest Northwest, their families and anyone connected with this competition are not eligible to enter. Usual Newsquest Northwest rules apply. Winners will be notified by email wherever possible and Newsquest Northwest take no responsibility for unread emails which leads to prizes being untaken.