Who composed Romeo and Juliet?

• A. Bach
• B. Picasso
• C. Tchaikovsky
• D. Vermeer

Answer: (C)

In music, Romeo and Juliet is most famously a ballet scored by Sergei Prokofiev. He wrote the ballet in the 1930s for the Bolshoi Theatre, and its memorable motifs—for Romeo, Juliet, and the feuding families—along with its dramatic orchestration, have made it the standard musical association with the story. The other names listed aren’t the composers tied to this well-known ballet: Bach is a Baroque figure known for foundational instrumental and vocal music; Picasso and Vermeer are visual artists, not composers; and while Tchaikovsky did compose a separate Romeo and Juliet piece (an overture-fantasy), the widely remembered ballet version is Prokofiev’s. So the best match for this title is Sergei Prokofiev.