Wherefore art thou, Romeo? At Wharton Center

(Wednesday, Jan. 5) It’s one of the most well-known love stories ever told. The story of two young lovers pushed to a tragic end resulting from the violence that erupts out of the hatred between their rival families. It’s the story, of course, of “Romeo and Juliet.”

The Russian National Ballet brings its interpretation of William Shakespeare’s iconic doomed romance to the Cobb Great Hall at Michigan State University’s Wharton Center Friday.

Founded during the era of Perestroika in the 1980s, the Russian National Ballet has been overseen by Elena Radchenko, who assumed its first permanent artistic directorship in 1994. The company last visited Wharton Center with “Sleeping Beauty,” which drew sell-out crowds during the 2008-2009 season.

A free preview lecture by dance reviewer Kate O’Neill will precede the show.

Russian National Ballet Theatre: “Romeo and Juliet”
8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7