Dutch National Ballet

Romeo and Juliet

Rudi van Dantzig

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Dates

14 October – 11 November 2025

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

3:00, incl. 2 intervals

Tickets

From € 32

Ballet couple in a romantic pose; the dancer supports the ballerina as she arches backward in an elegant lift.

Dancers: Elisabeth Tonev and Jacopo Tissi | Photo: Hugo Thomassen

A heart-rending love story translated into dance

Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet is a poignant classic filled with passion, conflict, and tragedy. The lively Italian street scenes, realistic fight sequences, and the heart-rending encounters between the young lovers of Verona leave no one unmoved. Experience the drama of Shakespeare’s timeless love story, brought to life through Sergei Prokofiev’s stirring music, and discover how a new generation of top dancers transforms this demanding ballet into yet another unforgettable experience.

First full-length production

Van Dantzig created his Romeo and Juliet in 1967 at the request of then-artistic director Sonia Gaskell. It was the first full-length ballet created in the Netherlands and made an immediate impact—one that continues to resonate in performances from Hong Kong to Canada and Finland.

Gripping realism

Van Dantzig drew inspiration from Leonid Lavrovsky’s 1940 production for the Mariinsky Ballet, but his own version stands out for its vibrant energy and intense realism.

Through finely drawn character portrayals, Van Dantzig reveals how the feud between the noble houses of Montecchi and Capuleti destroys everything in its path—not just the youthful love of Romeo and Juliet, which they pay for with their lives, but also the lives of Verona’s common people.

A visual masterpiece

Toer van Schayk’s stunning set and costume designs evoke a Renaissance painting brought to life, in rich pastel and deep red hues. When the curtain goes up, you immediately imagine yourself in the Italian town of Verona a few centuries ago.

Performance information

Choreography Rudi van Dantzig
Music Sergej Prokofjev
Set and costume design Toer van Schayk
Lighting design Jan Hofstra

Musical accompaniment Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Koen Kessels

Romeo and Juliet with Audio Description

For visitors with a visual impairment, a live audio description will be provided during the performance on Sunday 9 November (14:00). A professional audio describer* will describe the action via headphones, which can be heard from any seat in the theater. This free service also includes a 'meet & feel' session and a special introduction, which discusses, among other things, what the sets and costumes look like.

Call the Box Office (020 62 55 455) to reserve your tickets!

*Komt het Zien! has been making theater performances and events accessible to visually impaired audiences since 2014, using professional audio describers.

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Ticket prices

We provide discounts tailored for certain groups to ensure our performances are accessible to all. Please visit this page to determine if you qualify for a discount.

Price category	Standard	CJP \| Stadspas \| Youth aged 16 and under
Premium	€ 114,00	€ 82,00
1^st	€ 97,00	€ 71,00
2^nd	€ 80,00	€ 58,00
3^rd	€ 59,00	€ 38,00
4^th	€ 39,00	€ 24,00
5^th	€ 29,00	€ 21,00

Dutch National Opera & Ballet uses a system of dynamic pricing. This means that tickets for popular performances may increase in price as the performance date approaches and more tickets are sold. All prices exclude the booking fee (€ 3 per ticket).

Student discount and student alert

Last-minute deal! When a performance isn’t sold out, students can purchase a ticket online for just € 20 on the day of the performance starting from 13:00.

To stay updated on more offers, sign up for our student alert. This way, you’ll be informed in advance about which performances you can attend for just € 20!

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More Romeo and Juliet

This season, we also present an opera based on the world-famous love story: I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Composer Vincenzo Bellini brings the tragedy to life with sublime music and deeply moving arias.

Tickets & info

“Rudi got you to give your all”

Former principal dancers talk about Van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet

Generations of dancers have been able to pour out their emotions in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet. So the ballet was a highlight for many of them and even defined their career and life. We asked four former principal dancers about their experiences.

Romeo and Juliet - DNB 2019 | Photos: Marc Haegeman

Introduction

An introduction offering background information to enrich your theatre visit takes place 45 minutes before the performance. The introductions are given in Dutch and are free to attend without a reservation. Simply present your ticket for the performance. They take place in the Souterrain.