Weather Update: Today's Met HD broadcast will be screened as planned. If you are a ticket holder and are unable to attend, please email the Box Office to receive account credit.

Film

Met Opera in HD

Roméo et Juliette

Charles Gounod

March 23, 2024

This event occurred as part of the 23/24 Art On Screen season. This is an archived view.

A resplendent adaptation of Shakespeare's most famous star-crossed lovers.

Met Opera in HD

Weather Update: The Met HD broadcast will be screened as planned. If you are a ticket holder and are unable to attend, please email the Box Office to receive account credit.

Two singers at the height of their powers—soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Benjamin Bernheim—come together as the star-crossed lovers in Gounod's sumptuous Shakespeare adaptation, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct one of the repertoire's most romantic scores. Bartlett Sher's staging also features baritone Will Liverman and tenor Frederick Ballentine as the archrivals Mercutio and Tybalt, mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey as the mischievous pageboy Stéphano, and bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Frère Laurent.

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The Hop Presents

Roméo et Juliette
Charles Gounod

Saturday, March 23, 1 pm
Loew Auditorium • Dartmouth College • 2024

Free tickets for Dartmouth students to attend The Met: Live in HD are supported by a gift from Cynthia and Jeffrey Manocherian P’15, ’18

3 hours, 30 minutes including intermission

Cast

(Cast in order of vocal appearance)

Juliette ......................................................................................................................................................... Nadine Sierra Stéphano............................................................................................................................................. Samantha Hankey Roméo ............................................................................................................................................... Benjamin Bernheim Mercutio.......................................................................................................................................................Will Liverman Frère Laurent .............................................................................................................................................. Alfred Walker Gertrude..........................................................................................................................................................Eve Gigliotti Tybalt................................................................................................................................................Frederick Ballentine

Conductor.....................................................................................................................................Yannick Nézet-Séguin Production.................................................................................................................................................... Bartlett Sher Set Designer...........................................................................................................................................Michael Yeargan Costume Designer ................................................................................................................................ Catherine Zuber Lighting Designer....................................................................................................................................Jennifer Tipton Choreographer ............................................................................................................................................. Chase Brock Fight Director....................................................................................................................................................B. H. Barry Live in HD Director .................................................................................................................................Gary Halvorson Live in HD Host................................................................................................................................Ryan Speedo Green

Synopsis

Prologue

Verona, 18th century. A chorus tells of the endless feud between the Montague and Capulet families and of the love of their children, Roméo and Juliette.

Act I

At a masked ball in the courtyard of the Capulet palace, Juliette’s cousin Tybalt assures Count Pâris that Juliette, who has been promised to him, will enchant him. Capulet presents his daughter to the guests and invites them to dance. Mercutio and Roméo, a Montague, have donned masks to sneak into the ball, together with other friends. Roméo tells them about a strange dream he has had, but Mercutio dismisses it as the work of the fairy Queen Mab. Roméo watches Juliette dance and instantly falls in love with her. Juliette explains to her nurse, Gertrude, that she has no interest in marriage, but when Roméo approaches her in a quiet moment, both feel that they are meant for each other. Just as they discover each other’s identities, Tybalt happens upon them and recognizes Roméo. Capulet prevents him from attacking Roméo, who, with his friends, beats a hasty retreat.

ACT II

Later that night, Roméo enters the Capulets’ garden, looking for Juliette. When she steps out onto her balcony, he declares his love. Servants briefly interrupt their encounter. When they are alone once again, Juliette assures Roméo that she will be his forever.

ACT III

Roméo visits Frère Laurent in his cell and confesses his love for Juliette. Shortly thereafter, she also appears with Gertrude. Hoping that their love might reconcile their families, Frère Laurent marries them.

Intermission (35 Minutes)

ACT III continued

Outside the Capulet palace, Roméo’s page, Stéphano, sings a song about a turtledove imprisoned in a nest of vultures. This angers several of the Capulets. Mercutio comes to Stéphano’s aid, but soon Tybalt challenges him to fight. Roméo steps between them and asks Tybalt to forget about the hatred between their families. Tybalt has nothing but scorn for him and when he kills Mercutio in their duel, Roméo stabs Tybalt to death. The Duke of Verona appears and, after partisans of both families demand justice, exiles Roméo.

ACT IV

Roméo and Juliette have spent their secret wedding night in her room. She forgives him for killing Tybalt. The newlyweds passionately declare their love as day is dawning. They can hardly bring themselves to say goodbye. After Roméo has left, Capulet appears, together with Frère Laurent and announces to his daughter that she is to marry Pâris that same day. Desperate, Juliette turns to

Frère Laurent, who gives her a potion that will make her appear to be dead. He promises that she will awaken with Roméo beside her. Love lends Juliette courage: she overcomes her fear and drinks the poison. On the way to the chapel where her wedding to Pâris is to take place, Juliette collapses. To the guests’ horror, Capulet announces that she is dead.

ACT V

Roméo arrives at the Capulets’ crypt. Discovering Juliette’s body, he believes her to be dead and drinks poison. At that moment, she awakens and the lovers share a final dream of a future together. As Roméo grows weaker, Juliette takes a dagger from his belt and stabs herself. The lovers die praying for God’s forgiveness.

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