The World's Most Famous Operas: Romeo and Juliet

The World's Most Famous Operas

Romeo and Juliet

Music: Charles Gounod (1818–1893)

Rendered into Arabic by: Samir Shikhani

An opera in five acts adapted from Shakespeare's play. First produced in Paris in 1867.

The Characters:

• Count Capulet
• Juliet, his daughter
• Romeo, of the house of Montague
• Mercutio, his friend
• Friar Laurence
• Tybalt, nephew of Count Capulet
• Count Paris
• Gertrude, Juliet's attendant
• Gregorio, of the Capulet household
• Stephano, one of Romeo's followers
• The Duke of Verona
• Benvolio, of the Montague household
• Ladies, men, servants.

Time: the fourteenth century.
Place: the city of Verona, in Italy.

Act One

The scene: the ballroom of the Capulets.

After a short musical prelude the curtain rises on a darkened stage, upon which the company of the opera appears, singing, alluding to the deep-rooted feud between the two noble families — the family of Montague and the family of Capulet — and to the tragic love between the two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet.

The curtain falls after this short prologue, only to rise again on the events of the first act. In the ballroom of the Capulets' palace a masked ball is being held in celebration of Juliet's birthday. At the opening of the act everyone learns that Juliet is to be wedded to a young nobleman, Count Paris.

Among the guests was Romeo — of the family of Montague, which bears the family of Capulet a mortal enmity — accompanied by his friend Mercutio and others, all of them masked to conceal their identity. Romeo speaks, saying that he has seen a dream that troubled him; Mercutio replies, assuring him that this dream is, beyond doubt, a message from Queen "Mab" — one of the queens of the fairies — who sows dreams and fancies in the minds of men.

And despite his sense of foreboding, Romeo moves about the house of his enemies calmly, captivated by the charm of Juliet and her fresh youth. She bursts into song, singing of her happiness in this life.

Romeo addresses Juliet, calling her the adored angel; then the two lovers disclose their love in a song they sing together. But the song is soon cut short by the entrance of Tybalt, Juliet's kinsman. Romeo leaves the hall. Tybalt discovers that the young man who has gone out is none other than Romeo, the enemy of the Capulets; he goes after him in fury, swearing to kill this reckless intruder. Romeo returns with his friends, followed by Tybalt with drawn sword; but the intervention of Juliet's father prevents the shedding of blood, and Romeo and his companions withdraw.

Act Two

The scene: the garden of the Capulets' palace. The night is beautiful and splendid; around the palace appear a verdant garden, and a balcony and window leading to the wing in which Juliet lives. The ball has ended and the guests have begun to depart — all except Romeo, who lingers in the garden in the hope of letting his eyes rest one last time on Juliet's beauty. From afar the voices of Mercutio and his other friends are heard calling him, but he pays no heed. Soon he lifts his voice in a serenade beginning "Arise, O sun!" — and Juliet comes out onto the balcony, saying in a sorrowful voice: "Where are you, Romeo?"

Some members of the Capulet household approach, and Romeo hastens to hide. They begin to search every corner of the garden, for they suspect that someone of the house of Montague is hidden in it — but in vain. Gertrude, Juliet's attendant, looks out at them, asking the reason for their commotion, and then promises them to search for the intruder. She chides Juliet for staying up until that hour and bids her go to her bed. But only moments pass before Juliet returns to the balcony, and Romeo emerges from his hiding place, and they take up their love song, "O holy night." Romeo entreats Juliet to stay a little. The act ends with the song of farewell, which they sing together, Romeo repeating: "Let the night breezes carry my kisses to you!"

Scene One: Friar Laurence's cell.

The good Friar Laurence is surprised by a visit from Romeo, who confides to him his love for Juliet. The Friar is astonished at this love springing up between two persons of two warring families; yet he agrees to smooth the lovers' path, saying that he hopes this love may be the means of putting an end to the hatred rooted between the two houses for years.

Soon Juliet arrives with her attendant Gertrude, and the Friar joins the lovers in marriage and blesses their union, asking God that peace and concord may descend upon the two families, while the attendant stands at the door, watchful and on guard. The scene ends with a song in which the bridal pair, the Friar, and the attendant join — a prayer of thanks, as it were, to God who has blessed this love.

Scene Two: a public square facing the Capulets' palace.

Stephano, Romeo's young servant, sings an impudent song beginning "What are you doing, O white dove?" in which he warns the Capulets, in veiled language, that their daughter Juliet will one day fly away. Some of the Capulet household come hurrying out, at their head Gregorio, who recognizes Stephano and realizes that he is one of those they had been searching for in the palace garden a few nights before. They exchange cutting words and then fall to quarreling. Suddenly Mercutio, Romeo's intimate friend, comes up and accuses Gregorio of having drawn his sword to stab a mere boy, remarking that nothing but such deeds is to be expected of the Capulets.

Others arrive, and among them Tybalt, Juliet's kinsman, who had uncovered Romeo's identity at the ball.

Presently Romeo appears and, seeing Mercutio and Tybalt with their swords drawn, tries to part them. Insults fly higher and higher; but Romeo thinks of Juliet and will not allow himself to be drawn into a quarrel with her kinsman. The two adversaries clash nonetheless, and Mercutio falls, struck down; whereupon Romeo rouses himself to avenge him and deals Tybalt mortal wounds. Count Capulet comes up and sees what has happened. Those present cry "Here is the Duke!" at the sight of the Duke of Verona followed by his retinue. The Count demands that right be done — meaning vengeance — accusing Romeo of Tybalt's killing. When the Duke learns the cause of the quarrel, he pronounces his sentence: Romeo is banished from Verona. Romeo laments his ill fortune and renews his vow to see Juliet once more before leaving the city. As for the Capulets, they renew their hatred of the Montagues, crying: "Peace? No — never, never!"

Act Four
The scene: Juliet's chamber.

It is night, and by the light of a torch Juliet reclines on a soft couch, with Romeo seated at her feet. He has managed to make his way into the house of the Capulets once more — but this time on pain of death.

The two lovers are stealing happy moments before Romeo goes into exile, and together they sing the song "O holy night — sweet night of love!" At last Romeo says sorrowfully to his beloved that he hears the twittering of the morning lark, while Juliet assures him that it is the song of the nightingale. But what use is it — the hour of parting has come, and Romeo must leave the place as he came, by the balcony.

He has scarcely gone a little way when Gertrude comes hurrying in and tells her mistress that her father and Friar Laurence are coming. The father knows nothing of his daughter's secret marriage to Romeo, and has come to tell her that he is hastening the preparations for her marriage to Count Paris. Neither Juliet nor the Friar dares tell the father openly of the secret marriage.

Juliet and the Friar are alone in the room. She asks his help and shows him a dagger she hides in her bosom, with which to stab herself should she be forced into union with Count Paris. The priest tells her that there is a potion that will make her appear dead, and promises to bring her husband to her, so that the two may flee together as soon as she wakes from her feigned "death."

The Friar withdraws, and Count Capulet enters, accompanied by Count Paris. Juliet takes the potion and collapses to the ground like a corpse without a soul.

Act Five
The scene: the tomb of the Capulets.

A solemn musical prelude reflects the stillness of the tomb in which Juliet lies in her "last sleep," still in her swoon. Romeo steals into the place with all caution and falls to gazing sorrowfully at his bride. He does not know that Juliet is only temporarily unconscious and has not died; for the messenger whom Friar Laurence dispatched to inform him of the agreed plan was unable to reach him. Only moments pass before he raises a vial of poison to his lips and swallows its contents.

He has scarcely done so when he is astonished to see Juliet stir and rise out of her swoon. He rushes to her in utter amazement. She murmurs his name, and he cries out: "Juliet lives!" The two lovers embrace, and Juliet asks him to carry her away to where safety and happiness lie.

And Romeo realizes the fatal error he has committed, and confesses to her that he drank the poison believing her dead. There remains to them only one brief moment in which to bid each other farewell with the song "Why despair?" Romeo slips from her arms and falls to the ground. Juliet takes up the vial of poison and reproaches him for not leaving her a single drop to drink; then she remembers the dagger she hides in her bosom, draws it, and stabs herself. And the two lovers breathe their last, locked in each other's embrace...