Romeo et Juliette

Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet) is an opéra in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique (Théâtre-Lyrique Impérial du Châtelet), Paris on 27 April 1867.

The opera entered the repertoire of the Opéra- Comique on 20 January 1873, with Deloffre and Carvalho returning to their roles from the premiere, where it received 391 performances in 14 years.On the 28 November 1888 Roméo et Juliette transferred to the Paris Opéra, with Patti and de Reske in the leading roles. The opera was first seen in London on 11 July 1867 and in New York on 15 November of that year.

The libretto follows the story of Shakespeare's play.

Act 1

In an Overture prologue the curtain rises for a short chorus setting the scene of the rival families in Verona. Act 1 begins with a masked ball in the Capulets’ palace. Tybalt talks to Paris about Juliette, who appears with her father. Roméo, 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 Roméo and Juliette takes place, and they fall in love. But Tybalt re-appears and suspects who the hastily re-masked Roméo is; while Tybalt wants immediate revenge, Capulet orders that the ball continue.

Act 2

Act 2 is set in the garden of the Capulets, and after Roméo's page Stephano has helped his master gain access, shows the two young lovers exchanging their vows of love.

Act 3

In the first scene of Act 3 Roméo and Juliette, accompanied by Gertrude, go to the cell of Laurent, and the wedding takes place. Laurent hopes that reconciliation between the houses of the Montagus and the Capulets may thus take place. The next scene is in a street near Capulet's palace where 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 Roméo, determined to avenge his comrade, and Tybalt. Tybalt is killed by Roméo, who is banished by the Duke.

Act 4

In Act 4 Roméo and Juliette are seen in her room at dawn, and after a long duet Roméo departs for exile. Juliette's father comes to remind her of the dying wish of Tybalt, for Juliette to marry Count Paris. The friar gives Juliette a draught which will cause her to sleep, as if dead. After being laid in the family tomb, she will be awakened by Roméo and taken away. (A ballet scene in the grand hall of the palace was inserted at this point.)

Act 5

Act 5 finds Roméo breaking into the tomb having taken poison believing that Juliette is dead. When she awakes from the friar’s potion, there is time for a last duet before the poison takes its effect on Roméo. As her bridegroom weakens Juliette stabs herself, to be united with her lover in death.

This is my favorite song of the whole play. It's called Les Rois du Monde.