John Cranko (1927–1973) was a renowned choreographer and served as ballet director for Stuttgart Ballet for 12 years. His brilliant career was tragically cut short when he died at age 45 on a plane returning from Stuttgart Ballet's U.S. tour. Before you experience John Cranko's Romeo & Juliet onstage, see how his legacy lives on today.
1. His unforgettable talent in dance and choreography: Cranko began his dance career in South Africa, where he was born. At age 18, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in choreography and moved to London. In 1957, he was selected to choreograph his first full-length ballet, The Prince of Pagodas, for The Royal Ballet.
2. Timeless storytelling enjoyed by audiences today: While shorter, plotless ballets were at the height of popularity in the 1960s, Cranko was a champion of the narrative ballet. His choreography is renowned for its easy-to-follow stories, vivid characters, and use of dance as a representation of life. Cranko’s most popular works: Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Onegin, are in the repertoires of leading companies around the world and are still performed to this day. Romeo & Juliet, on stage Mar 15–Apr 8 at the Boston Opera House, has been praised as "arguably the best dance treatment of Prokofiev’s celebrated ballet score" (Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times).
3. Building enduring companies across the globe: Cranko was appointed ballet director of Stuttgart Ballet in Germany in 1961. He focused on further developing the company’s talented dancers and diversifying its repertoire. Under his leadership, Stuttgart Ballet became one of the leading dance companies in Europe, as well as "a dynasty builder," with former members going on to direct companies across the globe (Kate Mattingly, The New York Times).