Prokofiev conducted extracts from his then unstaged Romeo and Juliet with the Chicago Symphony during his final visit to the city in 1937, an event commemorated by this new recording on the orchestra’s own label, conducted by its current music director, Riccardo Muti. What we have here, however, are not Prokofiev’s own orchestral suites, but 10 numbers from the ballet arranged roughly in the correct running order to give some idea of its narrative and emotional trajectory. Muti’s lofty yet urgent style results in an imposing set of formal dances at the Capulets’ ball, and some thrilling street brawls between the rival Veronese families. His deliberate, grand-manner way with the love scenes won’t be to everyone’s taste, though. The playing is formidable and the sound state of the art. But at 48 minutes the disc is simply too short, and some extra numbers would have been welcome.
• A previous version of this article referred to SCO Resound. The correct name of the label is in fact CSO Resound. This has been amended.
