The orchestral suites from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet distill the ballet’s drama into concert-ready selections, reshaped for musical coherence rather than strict narrative order. Suite No. 1 (Op. 64bis) highlights street life, courtly scenes, and the lovers’ music, culminating in Tybalt’s death. Suite No. 2 (Op. 64ter) features the imposing Montagues and Capulets, character portraits like Juliet and Friar Laurence, and concludes at Juliet’s tomb. Suite No. 3 (Op. 101) offers further character and scene sketches—from Romeo at the fountain to the Aubade—ending with Juliet’s death, providing a complementary, more introspective arc.
Here are The Classic Review editorial team’s recommendations for the best recordings of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suites.
Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Royal Concertghebouw Orchestra, Myung-Whun Chung
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Ricardo Muti
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
The Cleveland Orchestra, Yoel Levi
Top photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash
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