Franco Zeffirelli made a masterful film adaptation of it. We just watched the livestream of Gounod's 'Roméo et Juliette' from the Brussels Muntschouwburg. And now the Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen and the Koninklijk Circus Brussel opened their doors for two evenings for D Show Production with 'Roméo et Juliette' by 'Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo'.
All good things come in threes. Also in the ballet world, where three Belgian dancers, Antwerpians, so to speak, are putting their best foot forward in this imaginative company. Before they travel back to Monaco and then on to Azerbaijan, we had a pleasant chat.
It's understandable that they settled in the South of France, in Nice and in Cap-d'Ail (where Grace Kelly's car crashed in 1982), not too far from their workplace. Because, wherever it is, ballet dancing is work, hard work: evening performances, interviews, ballet classes, rehearsals, another evening performance… But with a smile!
Jaat Benoot, Zino Merckx, Ige "Davidoff" Cornelis
Their names are not everyday names: Jaat Benoot, Zino Merckx, Ige "Davidoff" Cornelis. Take Jaat, not Jaap! Jaat is the younger brother of professional cyclist Tiesj Benoot, who, until his recent move to Decathlon, was a teammate of Wout Van Aert at Visma. His name is derived from a composition by Wim Mertens.
Zino has no connection with the cycling world or with 'the Cannibal' Eddy Merckx. He shares his name with Zino Davidoff, who stood for everything luxurious, from cigars and cognac to perfumes. And with Ige, whom Cornelis playfully replaces with "Davidoff". That playfulness also shaped the way Ige portrayed his role as Mercutio. He was the charming, restless friend of Romeo. Because with Mercutio, Fra Lorenzo and one of his acolytes, you have to talk about ballet. Traditional ballet, in the vein of 'Giselle' or 'Swan Lake', still fascinates them. They hit the nail on the head when they emphasised the added value that a respectful evolution can create.
The contemporary ballets that interest them most are 'In Memoriam' by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and 'La Belle', after Tchaikovsky's 'The Sleeping Beauty', choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot (what's in a name?).
This choreographer also created 'Roméo et Juliette', which premiered in 1996 in the Salle Garnier, part of the Casino of Monte Carlo and, like the Paris Opéra Garnier, designed by Charles Garnier. There, in the Principality, the ballet company is at home and they can count on the patronage and frequent presence of "the Princess", that is Caroline, who has had a passion for ballet since the time of her mother, the late Princess Grace.
Dancing is not everything for them. They share an unmistakable understanding and friendship. And they all enjoy reading: classics such as Orwell, Madame Bovary or La Peste. Well-read young men. Jaat and Ige are even in the same book club. They love "Belgian" music: Kids with Buns, Stromae, Angèle, Oscar and the Wolf. And Rosalía deserves a place there too. When it comes to unusual hobbies, Jaat takes the crown. He loves knitting. At the moment, it's a pullover for him. For Zino, who also enjoys cooking, swimming in the open sea is pure relaxation. And... it's good for the muscles!