The National Ballet of Canada announced Tuesday that prima ballerina Guillaume Côté will perform for the last time the role of Romeo, in Alexei Ratmansky’s choreography of Sergei Prokofiev’s famous ballet, Romeo and Juliet.
This final performance will take place on June 16, in Toronto. The Quebec dancer will co-star with Sara Mearns, principal dancer at New York City Ballet, who will perform Juliette.
“I am very grateful to be included in the original cast of this final production. I love Alexei Ratmansky’s version of Romeo and Juliet – he pushes ballet to its limits, giving it a new and contemporary feel, and he really tells the story through movement alone. The role of Romeo is so rewarding and so challenging to dance to,” Côté said in a statement.
Iconic ballet, Ratmansky’s Romeo and Juliet was created for the Toronto company’s 60th anniversary in 2011. Although the principal dancer is saying goodbye to this role, he is not retiring and will continue to perform other roles principals with the National Ballet of Canada.
