Opera Guide—Romeo and Juliet, by Charles Gounod
Roméo et Juliette, French Opera Based on Shakespeare's Play
Nov 14, 2009
Charles Gounod's opera Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet) premiered in Paris on April 27,. 1867. The libretto was written by Jules Barbier and Michael Carré, who also wrote the libretto for Gounod's Faust. Though the story is much condensed from Shakespeare's play, it does contain many lines directly translated from Shakespeare.
The final scene, in which Juliet awakes before Romeo's death and sings a final love duet with him, may seem like a mere aethetic change for the necessity of a dramatic conclusion to the opera. In fact, some of the Italian sources for Romeo and Juliet—and Bellini's opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi, which is based on those sources—use the same device.
Characters in Romeo and Juliet
- Count Capulet, head of the Capulet family (Bass)
- Juliet, his daughter (Soprano)
- Gertrude, her nurse (Mezzo-soprano)
- Paris, Juliet's fiancé (Baritone)
- Tybalt, Capulet's nephew (Tenor)
- Gregory, a Capulet (Baritone)
- Romeo, a Montague (Tenor)
- Mercutio, a Montague (Baritone)
- Benvolio, a Montague (Tenor)
- Stephano, Romeo's page (Mezzo-soprano or soprano)
- Friar Lawrence (Bass)
- The Duke of Verona (Bass)
Synopsis of Romeo and Juliet
The story takes place in Verona in the fourteenth century.
Prologue
Shakespeare's prologue, which begins, "Two houses, both alike in dignity / In fair Verona, where we lay our scene" is sung by a chorus.
Act I—A Capulet Party
Tybalt reveals that Juliet is engaged to Paris (although her father hasn't informed her yet). Count Capulet welcomes his guests and introduces Juliet.
Romeo has snuck into the party with some other Montagues. Mercutio sings of the Faerie Queen Mab (Mab, la reine des mensonges). They leave, and Juliet enters with her nurse, Gertrude, dancing happily. Gertrude leaes and Romeo returns; he sees Juliet, and they fall instantly in love.
Tybalt enters; Romeo replaces his mask, but Tybalt suspects his identity and wishes to attack him. Count Capulet calms Tybalt, not wanting violence at his party, and encourages the guests to start up a waltz.
Act II—Juliet's Balcony
Romeo, having left his companions, finds himself under Juliet's balcony (Aria: Ah! lève toi soleil). They express their love for each other, and she proposes marriage. They are interrupted twice, first by Gregory (who suspects an intruder in the garden) and next by Gertrude. They bid each other farewell (Duet: Ah! ne fuis pas encore!).
Act III
Scene 1—A Church
Friar Lawrence marries Romeo and Juliet in secret, hoping to help end the fued between their families.
Scene 2—Outside the Capulet House
Romeo's page, Stephano (a part invented for the opera) sings a ditty mocking the Capulets (Que fais-tu blanche turrelle). Gregory attacks Stephano, and a larger fight breaks out between the Montagues and Capulets. Tybalt challenges Romeo, who refuses; but Mercutio fights him instead, and is killed. Furious, Romeo kills Tybalt. As punishment, the Duke of Verona banishes him.
Act IV—Juliet's Room
Romeo bids Juliet farewell before he must depart. She tries to make him stay, insisting that it is not yet daylight; but eventually she must relent and let him leave.
After Romeo has gone, Gertrude enters, warning Juliet that Tybalt's dying wish was for Juliet and Paris to be married immediately. Friar Lawrence offers his help, giving her a potion that will make her appear dead.
(For a later performance, Gounod added a ballet here, which makes little dramatic sense but catered to the French tastes of the time.)
Act V—The Capulet Vault
Juliet has been presumed dead and placed in the Capulet vault. Romeo arrives, mourning her death (O ma femme, o ma bien aimée). No sooner has he taken poison than Juliet awakes. They attempt to flee together, but he reveals that he will die soon, and they sing a final duet (Viens fuyons au bout du monde). Juliet stabs herself with a dagger and dies with him.
Sources:
- Gounod, Charles. Roméo et Juliette (vocal score).
- Kobbé, Gustav. The Complete Opera Book. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1919.
- Simon, Henry W. 100 Great Operas and Their Stories. Garden City: Dolphin, 1960.
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