Antony and Cleopatra

“These strong Egyptian fetters I must break, Or lose myself in dotage” William Shakespeare has his hero Antony (Marcus Antonius) say in the play “Antony and Cleopatra” (1607). The historically documented love between the Roman general and the equally beautiful and powerful Queen of Egypt around 40 BC is at the heart of Shakespeare’s play. This love made them both immortal – yet in the end it cost them everything: their honour, their rule, the loyalty of the Roman Emperor Octavius, and ultimately their lives.

Few couples in history have been so closely intertwined with the political and military turmoil of their time. In her new ballet, Bridget Breiner focuses on the duality of love and power, and the conflict between public responsibility and passionate desire. Her characters always act in a profoundly human way – contradictory, vulnerable and driven by true love.