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Gounod - Romeo et Juliette from the Met

The final Met broadcast of the season is Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, with Ailyn Perez and Charles Castronovo as Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers. Placido Domingo conducts.

The final opera in this year's Met season is Gounod's take on Romeo and Juliet. A success since its premiere in 1859, Gounod's opera follows Shakespeare's story faithfully, and includes some magnificent duets for the star-crossed lovers, sung tonight by Ailyn P茅rez and Bryan Hymel. Pl谩cido Domingo conducts.

Presented from New York by Mary Jo Heath and Ira Siff.

Gounod Rom茅o et Juliette
Juliette ..... Ailyn P茅rez (Soprano)
Rom茅o ..... Charles Castronovo (Tenor)
St茅phano ..... Karine Deshayes (Soprano)
Mercutio ..... Joshua Hopkins (Baritone)
Frere Laurent ..... Kwangchul Youn (Bass)

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Pl谩cido Domingo (Conductor).

3 hours, 29 minutes

Last on

Sat 5 May 2018 18:30

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Cello Suite No 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 (Gigue)

    Performer: Yo鈥怸o Ma.
    • J. S. Bach, The Cello Suites: Yo-Yo Ma.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 9.

Synopsis

Overture prologue

A short chorus sets the scene of the rival families in Verona.

Act 1
A masked ball in the Capulets鈥 palace

Tybalt talks to P芒ris about Juliette, who appears with her father. Rom茅o, Mercutio, Benvolio and their friends enter, disguised, and Mercutio sings a ballad about Queen Mab, after which Juliette sings a joyful waltz song. The first meeting between Rom茅o and Juliette takes place, and they fall in love. But Tybalt re-appears and suspects that the hastily re-masked Rom茅o is his rival. While Tybalt wants immediate revenge, Capulet orders that the ball continue.

Act 2
The Capulets' garden

After Rom茅o's page Stephano has helped his master gain access, he reveals the two young lovers exchanging their vows of love.

Act 3

Scene 1
Laurent's cell

Rom茅o and Juliette, accompanied by Gertrude, go to the cell, and the wedding takes place. Laurent hopes that reconciliation between the houses of the Montagus and the Capulets may thus take place.

Scene 2
A聽street near Capulet's palace

Stephano sings to attract the occupants into the street. Gregoire and Stephano skirmish as men from each family appear. The duel is first between Tybalt and Mercutio, who falls dead, and then between Rom茅o, determined to avenge his comrade, and Tybalt. Tybalt is killed by Rom茅o, who is banished by the Duke.

Act 4
Juliet's room at dawn

Rom茅o and Juliette are together and, after a long duet, Rom茅o departs for exile. Juliette's father comes to remind her of Tybalt's dying wish for Juliette to marry Count P芒ris. The friar gives Juliette a draught which will cause her to sleep, so as to appear as if dead and, after being laid in the family tomb, it is planned that Rom茅o will awaken her and take her away. [A ballet scene in the grand hall of the palace was inserted at this point.]

Act 5
Juliet's tomb

Rom茅o breaks into the tomb after having taken poison because he believes that Juliette is dead. When she awakes from the friar鈥檚 potion, the lovers' last duet is heard before the poison takes effect on Rom茅o. As her bridegroom weakens Juliette stabs herself, to be united with her lover in death.

Broadcast

  • Sat 5 May 2018 18:30

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