Roméo et Juliette
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- For the dramatic symphony of the same name, by Hector Berlioz, see Roméo et Juliette (symphony)
Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet) is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on the play by Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on April 27, 1867.
| Premiere, April 27, 1867 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Juliette | soprano | Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho, wife of theatre's director |
| Roméo, son of Montaigu | tenor | Pierre Michot |
| Frère Laurent | bass | Cazaux |
| Mercutio, Romeo's friend | baritone | Auguste Barré |
| Stéphano, Romeo's page | soprano, (pants role) |
|
| Count Capulet | bass | |
| Tybalt, Lady Capulet's nephew | tenor | |
| Gertrude, Juliet's nurse | mezzo-soprano | |
| The Duke | bass | |
| Paris, a young count | baritone | |
| Grégorio, Capulet's servant | baritone | |
| Benvolio, Montague's nephew | tenor | |
| Frère Jean | bass | |
| Male and female retainers and kinsmen of the Houses of Capulet and Montague, maskers | ||
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
- Time: 14th century.
- Place: Verona.
[edit] Act I
After a stormy orchestral introduction depicting the hostility which reigns between the Capulets and the Montaigus, the curtain rises on a declaimatory choral prologue summarizing the tragedy. Act I. A masked ball in the palace of the Capulets. The guests sing the pleasures which await them this evening (introduction: "L'heure s'envole"). Young noble Pâris is amazed at the magnificence of the ball, but Tybalt, nephew of Capulet, assures him that he will forget this magnificence when he sees the magnificent Juliette, daughter of Capulet. When Capulet leads his daughter in the room, she becomes indeed the centre of attention. Capulet invites cheerfully the guests to dance in the nearby rooms and is delighted to leave Pâris to escort Juliette. When the stage is empty, masked Roméo Montaigu and his friends Mercutio and Benvolio come out of their hiding place. Due to their disguise, they were able to enter the rival house without being recognized. Roméo has reservations now on their outing and wishes to leave. He explains that he recently had a dream that filled him with somber premonitions as to their adventure. Mercutio frivolously brushes aside his premonitions, saying they are the work of the queen Mab (ballad of the queen Mab: "Mab, la reine des mensonges"). Roméo is comforted by this ballad, but suddenly sees Juliette through an open door. He falls in love with her in an instant. Enchanted, Roméo is pushed outside by his friends as Juliette enters, with her nurse, Gertrude. Gertrude sings Pâris's praises to her, as a future husband. Juliette, for her part, protests her lack of interest for this marriage (ariette: "Je veux vivre"). The nurse goes away and, while Juliette gets ready to return to the dance, Roméo comes out of a corner of the room. After some words, they realize that their destinies are bound (madrigal: "Ange adorable!"). In the exchange which follows, Roméo discovers that he has fallen in love with a Capulet. Although Roméo has his mask back on, Tybalt manages to identify him. After Roméo's hasty departure, Tybalt reveals to Juliette that she spoke with a hated Montaigu. The guests return in the centre of the stage, Roméo and his friends are among them. Mercutio thinks that they were recognized and the Montaigus beat a hasty retreat. Capulet does not authorize Tybalt to follow them and encourages his guests to pursue the festivities.
[edit] Act II
Acte II. The Capulet garden at night. To the left, the window and Juliette's balcony. Roméo left his friends and came back like a thief in the Capulet garden. He cries to Juliette as to a rising sun (cavatina: "Ah! Lève-toi, soleil"). Shortly after, she appears on the balcony and Roméo reveals himself. She asks him for a declaration of love and allegiance which he gives her enthusiastically. Their soft words are for a moment interrupted by Grégorio and other servants of the Capulet, who roam the garden in search of the page of Montaigu seen in the area (scene and chorus: "Personne! Le page aura fui"). When quiet returns, Roméo springs out of his hiding place (duet: "O nuit divine"). Juliette confirms that she is ready to marry him at the time of his choice and Roméo repeats his oath. They are again interrupted, this time by Gertrude, who calls Juliette into the house. The two lovers part reluctantly.
[edit] Act III
Acte III. Brother Laurent's cell. At dawn. In the wings, a monks' choir can be heard. Brother Laurent enters with a basket filled with plants and flowers, which he uses to make secret potions. He sings the miracles of nature (chorus and cavatina: "Breceau de tous les êtres"). Roméo enters and tells him of his love for Juliette Capulet. Juliette follows soon with Gertrude. The two lovers ask brother Laurent to unite them. Convinced of the force of their affection, he performs the ceremony (trio and quartet: "Dieu qui fis l'homme à ton image"). A street in front of the house of Capulet. Roméo's page, Stéphano, is mocking the Capulets with a song speaking about a white dove prisoner in a nest of vultures (song: "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?"). This brings Grégorio and the other Capulet servants outside (finale: "Ah! Voici nos gens!"). Stéphano resumes at once the tune of his song in their presence, and challenges Grégorio to a duel. Mercutio is indignant to see Grégorio fight a duel with a mere youth. Tybalt warns Mercutio to pay attention to his words, and they become involved in a duel. When Roméo arrives, Tybalt turns around at once to face him, calling him a coward. Roméo keeps his head and asks Tybalt to forget the days of hatred between the two families. It is Mercutio who decides to defend Roméo's honor. He resumes the duel with Tybalt, and is mortally wounded when Roméo throws himself between the two. Roméo, suddenly angered, tries to take revenge; he fights with Tybalt, giving him a mortal blow. A brass band and marching troop announce the arrival of Duke. The onlookers sing their grief at the disaster, knowing the interdiction of the Duke for such violence and the punishment being death. The partisans of both houses shout for justice and, having learned what happened, the Duke exiles Roméo from Verona. Roméo reiterates his grief at the violence being stopped too late, and his exile from Juliette. Before the curtain falls, the members of the two houses renew their resentful curses.
[edit] Act IV
Acte IV. Juliette's room in the early hours. Juliette forgives Roméo for killing one of her relatives (duet: "Va! Je t'ai pardonné"). They both sing their love during their wedding night. Roméo suddenly loosens his embrace when he hears the lark announcing the day, yet Juliette refuses at first to believe it, but she realises it is true. They know they have to part before being discovered. After Roméo's departure, Capulet, Gertrude and Brother Laurent enter (quartet: "Juliette! Ah, le ciel soit loué!"). Capulet announces to Juliette that the last wish of Tybalt was to see Juliette marrying Pâris, and that this marriage is already arranged. Juliette is in despair. When her father leaves the room, she tells Brother Laurent that she would prefer to die rather than to marry Pâris. She has secured a dagger, should there be no avoiding the marriage to Pâris. He suggests a trick by which she could escape with Roméo. She should drink a narcotic which will give her the appearance of death. Capulet will transport the body to the family grave, where Roméo will find her. Juliette accepts this plan. She draws on all her courage (air: "Dieu! Quel frisson court dans les veines!"). A vision of the bloodstained Tybalt makes her hesitate, but she finally empties the phial. A magnificent room at the Capulet's. Juliette enters to the strains of a wedding march on organ. The guests present their best wishes and offer her wedding gifts, but as Capulet takes her arm to lead her into the chapel, Juliette collapses. In horror, Capulet exclaims that his daughter has died.
[edit] Act V
Act V. A subterranean crypt at the Capulet's. Juliette is lying on a casket. Brother Laurent learns from another monk, Brother Jean, that Roméo did not receive the letter explaining the trick to him, because his page was attacked. Brother Laurent asks Jean to find another messenger. After an instrumental interlude intended to depict Juliette's state, Roméo appears. Believing Juliette dead, he drinks the poison he carries with him. At that moment, Juliette awakes leading Roméo to believe he is being reunited in heaven with Juliettes ghost. He discovers she is really alive, and they sing their love. Roméo tells her that he has just drunk a fatal poison. While he weakens, Juliette reveals a dagger hidden in her clothes and stabs herself. In a monumental final effort, Roméo and Juliette ask for divine leniency before dying.
