Romeo and Juliet (master sitter)
| Work data | |
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| Title: | Romeo and Juliet |
| Shape: | Singspiel |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Heinrich Sutermeister |
| Libretto : | Heinrich Sutermeister |
| Literary source: | Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare |
| Premiere: | April 13, 1940 |
| Place of premiere: | Dresden |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ½ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Verona (Italy) early 14th century |
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Romeo and Juliet is an opera in two acts (six pictures) by Heinrich Sutermeister , who was also his own librettist . The material is based on the tragedy of the same name by William Shakespeare , but dispenses with all subplots of the original and focuses on the love story of the famous couple. The work had its world premiere on April 13, 1940 at the Semperoper in Dresden .
Sequence of images
Act I , 1st image: Piazza in Verona; 2nd image: ballroom; 3rd picture: garden;
Act II , 4th image: Hermitage; 5th image: bedroom; 6th picture: Catacomb
action
The opera takes place in the Italian city of Verona at the beginning of the 14th century.
first act
In the main square of the city, young members of the hostile noble families Montague and Capulet fight a bitter battle. Escalus, the prince of Verona, arrives and orders them to end the argument immediately. Anyone who defies his command will be punished with death. The young Count Romeo from the Montague family has no sense of this ancient feud.
The Capulets hold a party in their villa. Romeo is one of the guests, although he was invited by mistake. It was there that he met Julia Capulet for the first time and promptly fell in love with her. The girl is equally fond of him. After the two have amused themselves at the party, they learn who they are and what separates their families.
Second act
Romeo and Juliet manage to persuade the Franciscan Father Lorenzo to secretly trust her. But the next morning Julia found out that she wanted to marry her parents to Count Paris. In desperation, she seeks advice from Father Lorenzo. He gives her a bottle, the contents of which will put her into a deep sleep.
Julia is believed dead by her parents. They have their daughter buried in the family crypt. According to Lorenzo's plan, Romeo will save her there. But he only learns that his lover is supposed to be dead. He forcibly opens the door of the crypt and stabs himself on Julia's grave. When the girl wakes up and discovers Romeo's body, her heart breaks.
music
The composer prescribes a large orchestra with two woodwinds, plus celesta, piano and organ. The work places great demands on the choirs. It requires a mixed choir, a madrigal choir (the four couples in love) and a boys' choir. The use of the greatest sound and noise gives the opera an impressive effect. It is often impossible to ignore the fact that Sutermeister was a pupil of Carl Orff . Sutermeister's music is inspired by dramatic impulses and heartfelt lyricism. The musical highlights include the poetically transfigured love duet in the garden and the final scene in the first act with the effectively deployed distant choirs.
literature
- Hellmuth Steger, Karl Howe: Opernführer , Fischer Bücherei Frankfurt am Main, Paperback No. 49 (April 1961 edition)