Niccolò Paganini is said to be a “genius” in music history who bartered his soul with the devil for superhuman skills. Legend has it that his Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major required such virtuosity that only he himself could play. Shakespeare has a profound influence on the cultural life of all Europe, and the Soviet Union is no exception. Prokofiev scored the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and then selected the most valuable and vivid music to comprise three orchestral suites. In this performance, iconic selections from these suites trace the ups and downs of the dramatic plot.