The Royal New Zealand Ballet is taking its acclaimed production of Romeo & Juliet to Australia next month.

First performed by the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2003, the RNZB's award-winning take on the Shakespearean classic has already won over audiences in the UK (where it was nominated for a prestigious Laurence Olivier Award) and China - now it's poised to do the same in Canberra and Wollongong.

Choreographed by UK's Christopher Hampson and designed by Auckland's Tracy Grant Lord, this highly dramatic and visually stunning production is inspired by the look of Fellini's La Dolce Vita and Baz Luhrmann's film version of the famous love story.

Artistic Director Gary Harris, says the company is looking forward to introducing Romeo & Juliet to Australian audiences. "It's a timeless classic, yet our version is so refreshingly original, I hope it knocks their socks off."

The company will spend most of the month of August in Australia - completing 13 performances.

On return to New Zealand focus will shift to preparation for The Nutcracker, the RNZB's final production for 2010.

"If this were the only Romeo and Juliet I ever saw, I'd die happy." The Independent

Romeo & Juliet opens in Canberra on Tuesday 10 August and in Wollongong on Tuesday 17 August.