Romeo und Julia is anopera in two acts byHeinrich Sutermeister. The composer wrote the libretto, after Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet.
Erik Levi explains that the opera: "presents a synthesis of Romantic and impressionist elements. It marks a ... return to the conception of opera as a sequence of closed forms, incorporating ... stylistic features related to madrigal, oratorio and pantomime."[1]
It was first performed on 13 April 1940, at theSemperoper,Dresden, under the musical direction ofKarl Böhm, who also commissioned the work, withMaria Cebotari as Julia, and was a considerable success.[1] It was also performed atSadler's Wells in London on 12 March 1953, conducted byJames Robertson.[2][3]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 13 April 1940 (Conductor: Karl Böhm) |
|---|---|---|
| Julia,daughter of theCapulets | soprano | Maria Cebotari |
| Romeo,son of Montague | tenor | |
| Balthasar,Romeo's servant | baritone | |
| Nurse | soprano | Inger Karén |
| Capuleti (Capulet) | bass | Kurt Böhme |
| Countess Capuleti (Lady Capulet) | contralto | Helena Rott |
| Father Lorenzo (Friar Laurence) | bass | Sven Nilsson |
| Escalus,Prince of Verona | baritone | |
| Servant | tenor | |
| Montague,Romeo's father | spoken | |
| Count Paris | ballerina |
Sutermeister's version follows Shakespeare's plot. In the final scene, a celestial chorus celebrate the union in death of the two lovers.
Sutermeister:Romeo und Julia – Bavarian Radio Chorus,Tölzer Knabenchor,Munich Radio Orchestra
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|---|---|
| National | |
