Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

Roméo et Juliette

The Story

ACT I

A choral prologue ("Vérone vit jadis deux familles rivales") describes the story of the young lovers and their forbidden love. The action begins in the Capulet home, where a lavish masked ball ("L'heure s'envole joyeuse et
folle") is being held in honor of the birthday of Juliette, Capulet's teenage daughter, who is to be marriage to Count Paris, nephew of the Prince. Capulet's nephew, Tybalt, exclaims over the sumptuous feast and Juliette's ravishing beauty. Capulet then presents his daughter, who rapturously declares that a whole enchanting world appears before her eyes ("Tout un monde enchanté semble naître à mes yeux"). Several masked strangers stay behind; they are Mercutio and Roméo, members of the rival Montague family, with some of their followers. Roméo is uneasy, but Mercutio makes fun of him, singing about Mab, the queen of dreams and illusions ("Mab, le reine des mensonges"). Roméo still wishes to leave, but is suddenly overcome by Juliette's beauty as she enters with Gertrude, her nurse. The Montagues hurry away. Juliette is in high spirits and tells Gertrude that she does not wish to marry yet but wishes to live life to the fullest ("Je veux vivre dans ce rêve"). Roméo enters and asks Juliette to stay with him as Gertrude leaves with Gregorio, a servant to the Capulets. Left alone they tell of their attraction to one another in a charming madrigal ("Ange adorable"). As Juliette tells Roméo her name they are disturbed by the return of Tybalt who recognizes the identity of the masked strangers. Juliette is shocked to learned the identity of the man with whom she has fallen in love and is distraught. Furious at the Montagues' presence in the Capulet house, Tybalt wishes to fight them, but Capulet orders that the festivities should continue ("Nargue, nargue des buveurs").

ACT II

Roméo enters, and comparing her to the sun, entreats her to appear ("Ah, lève-toi, soleil!"). The window opens and Juliette appears, admitting that although Roméo is of a rival family, she still loves him. He hears her, and they pour out their love ("Ô nuit divine!"). Their rhapsody is disturbed by Gregorio and some servants. Gertrude enters, wondering about the commotion and calls Juliette back into her room. Roméo believes himself to be dreaming, and when Juliette reappears, asks her to marry him.

ACT III

Friar Lawrence marries the lovers, with Gertrude as witness, and they all sing of the triumph of Love ("Ô pur bonheur! Ô joie immense!").

The scene changes to a street outside Capulet's house, where the page Stephano is taunting the Capulets, likening them to a nest of vultures harboring a turtle dove ("Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?"). Gregorio appears and challenges Stephano to a duel. A melee develops as Tybalt insults Roméo, who does not wish to fight with his unknowing brother-in-law. The brazen Mercutio takes up the fight and is killed by Tybalt. Avenging his best friend Mercutio, Roméo slays Tybalt. Everyone sings of the horrible situation, brought on by senseless revenge ("Ô jour de deuil! Ô jour de larmes!"). The Duke of Verona enters, and Roméo is sent into exile, never to see Juliette again.

ACT IV

Roméo has come to bid Juliette farewell. They sign of their sadness at having to part on their wedding night ("Nuit d'hyménée! Ô douce nuit d'amour"). Roméo hears the lark heralding the dawn of the sad day. Juliette refuses to hear this, and declares her eternal love ("Il faut partir, hélas!"). Roméo leaves and Gertrude enters with Friar Laurence and her father. Tybalt's dying wish was that Juliette and Paris marry as soon as possible, and they have come to effect his plan. Juliette is, of course, distraught and begs for help from Friar Laurence. He gives her a sleeping potion that will make her appear dead ("Buvez donc de breuvage"), after which Roméo can get her and they can run off together. Fearful, yet trusting, she drinks the potion.

Roméo enters Juliette's tomb and sings to her apparently lifeless body ("Salut, tombeau sombre et silencieux!"). He takes poison just as Juliette awakens from her slumber. They embrace one another, but Roméo begins to feel the affect of the poison. He tells Juliette what he has done, and she declares that she is not able to live without him. As Roméo, in his death delirium, imagines he is hearing the lark signaling the dawn, Juliette discovers the empty bottle of poison and stabs herself. Together, as they die, they offer themselves and their love to God ("Dieu de bonté, Dieu de clémence!").

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