Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet

About the Event

German conductor Elias Grandy leads the National Youth Orchestra in the most beautiful dances from Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet and in Wagner's famous “Vorspiel und Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde. That the orchestra can also sound great without musical instruments is evident in Meredith's HandsFree, a rhythmic spectacle of body percussion.

Highlights from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet
Since 1957, the National Youth Orchestra (NJO) has been the breeding ground for young musical talent. The orchestra forms the bridge between the conservatory and the big stages for young musicians between 18 and 26 years of age. This summer, under the direction of Elias Grandy, the talented musicians will perform highlights from Prokofiev's successful ballet Romeo and Juliet, inspired by Shakespeare's play about the impossible love between Romeo and Juliet, two youngsters from the hostile Montague and Capulet families.

Wagner and Meredith
Another legendary love couple plays the lead role in Wagner's impressive opera Tristan und Isolde. The tragic fate of these two lovers is audible in the ominous “Vorspiel und Liebestod” from this opera, a favorite repertory piece for symphony orchestras. The groundbreaking composer Anna Meredith was commissioned by the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the English version of the NJO, to write a remarkable piece for an unusual instrumentation: HandsFree is a rhythmic spectacle of body percussion.