About
- Run time: 3hrs 00min, 1 intermission
- Sung in: French
- Subtitles: English, German and other languages
- Opera house: Vienna State Opera
Roméo et Juliette is a lushly romantic opera which, while remarkably faithful to Shakespeare's tragedy, dwells even more closely on the ill-fated couple. The two lovers are given stirring arias and four touching duets, including a brief final reunion in the tomb scene that does not appear in the play.
Ticket information
- Select a date an book
- E-Ticket (Print@home)
Vienna State Opera
Opernring 2, 1010 Vienna View in Google Maps
Subway: U1, U2, U4 to Karlsplatz
Trams: 1, 2, D, 62, 71 to Opernring
After the performance taxis will drive up to the main entrance
Creators
Charles Gounod (1818–1893) showed early promise as a musician and won France's most prestigious musical prize, the Prix de Rome. He composed 12 operas, of which Faust (1859) and Roméo et Juliette (1867) are still regularly performed. Gounod’s other compositions include sacred music, songs, piano music, incidental music for plays and two symphonies.
Jules Barbier (1825–1901) and Michel Carré (1821–1872) were the leading librettists of their day in France. For Roméo et Juliette they followed very closely Shakespeare’s text, often using direct translations of the original’s expressions and metaphors.
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) based his play on an earlier narrative play by the English writer Arthur Brooke, The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet from 1562. Brooke in turn had been inspired by a story by the Italian poet Mateo Bandello (1480 – 1562).
Juliette Nadine Sierra
Stéphano Patricia Nolz
Roméo Saimir Pirgu
Tybalt Daniel Jenz
Mercutio Stefan Astakhov
Frère Laurent Peter Kellner
