At the heart of The Australian Ballet’s 2026 season, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet returns in all its sweeping, devastating beauty. The familiar story becomes an unforgettable experience, combining epic scale, breathtaking theatrical grandeur, and intimate emotional power that lingers long after the curtain falls.
Premiering at the Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre from 24 April–13 May, the production travels to Melbourne’s Regent Theatre from 6–16 June, before concluding at Brisbane’s Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Lyric Theatre from 15–22 August.
A cornerstone of The Australian Ballet’s history, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet was first performed by the Company in 1974. More than a classic, it is a love story that draws audiences of all generations into the exhilaration of first love and the devastation of heartbreak, reminding us why this timeless tale continues to resonate so deeply. Following its last staging in 2022, the production returns newly refreshed, with updated sets and choreography developed in close collaboration with Stuttgart Ballet to ensure Cranko’s cinematic storytelling continues to move audiences today.
The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David Hallberg said, “At its core, Romeo and Juliet is about love in its most vulnerable form. John Cranko’s choreography has an extraordinary ability to draw audiences into the inner lives of these characters, making their joy and heartbreak feel deeply personal.”
“This ballet demands everything from the dancers, technically and emotionally. Seeing a new generation of artists step into these iconic roles is both a privilege and a powerful reminder of why this story continues to resonate,” Hallberg added.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest narrative ballets of the twentieth century, Cranko’s masterful adaptation pairs sweeping crowd scenes with some of ballet’s most emotionally charged pas de deux, balancing spectacle with raw human intimacy.
Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s masterful score and featuring Jürgen Rose’s richly detailed sets and costumes, the production conjures the world of Rennaissance Verona, a world of wealth, rivalry and danger, where the innocence of first love threatens to unravel everything.
John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet is a production to fall head over heels for, whether discovering ballet for the first time or returning to a beloved classic.
For tickets and more information visit https://australianballet.com.au/performances/romeo-and-juliet
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