Erik Bruhn and Carla Fracci – Romeo and Juliet, 1966

Erik Bruhn choreographed a version of Romeo and Juliet, which he and Carla Fracci danced with the Rome Opera Ballet in 1966.

Between performances, they recorded the balcony scene, which today has been uploaded to YouTube for the first time. A year later, the two danced Bruhn’s version with the American Ballet Theatre in New York.

In Fracci’s autobiography, Passo dopo passo (Step by Step), she wrote,

I was fortunate to meet Erik, a superb dancer, a true professional and a kind man. He had an effortlessness in his dancing that was unique, and his perfection was incredible with a precise technique and great elegance.

We shared the same language without inhibitions or limits: together we were able to overcome our shortcomings and the hours of hard work together were enlightening. On stage, we had a perfect symbiotic relationship, something I can’t put into words… We had a strong fraternal bond of love, admiration and respect.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.