Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour

"Roméo et Juliette: de la Haine à l'Amour" is a French musical based on William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet", with music and lyrics by Gérard Presgurvic. It premiered in Paris on January 19, 2001. The production was directed and choreographed by Redha, with costumes by Dominique Borg and settings by Petrika Ionesco. The producers were Gérard Louvin, GLEM, and Universal Music.

Since then, the musical has been performed in Canada, Antwerp, London, Amsterdam, Budapest, Szeged, Moscow, Vienna, Seoul, Pusan (South Korea), and Taipei and has been translated into several languages, including Flemish, Hungarian, Russian, English, and German.

Plot

Differences from Shakespeare's plot include that almost everyone is aware of the lovers' "secret" marriage, and the nature of the lovers' deaths is different, depending on the production. Lord Montague is only seen in the British production, and new characters such as Death (French, Belgian, Netherlands, and Moscow productions only) and the Poet (French production only) appear for dramatic effect. Lady Capulet has a greatly increased role and is more often than not the voice of reason. The role of Tybalt has changed slightly from being purely dark to a more pitiful character because of his growing up with the hate and a dark childhood, as well as an unrequited attraction to Juliet.

ynopsis

;Act 1A long-standing feud between the two leading families of the city of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, regularly erupts into violence on the city's streets. Irritated, the Prince of Verona decrees, on pain of death, the absolute prohibition on fighting in the city (Vérone). While Lady Capulet and Lady Montague denounce the violence of the two clans (La haine), Romeo (the sole heir of the Montagues) and Juliet (the daughter of the Capulets) are hopelessly in search for love (Un jour).

At the Capulets, a ball is being held so that Juliet can meet Count Paris, who asked Lord Capulet for her hand (La demande en mariage, Tu dois te marier). In Verona, Romeo and his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, hang about the streets (Les rois du monde, La folie). Romeo is afraid of... he doesn't really know, but he's afraid (J'ai peur). In the hope of distracting him, Benolio and Mercutio, persuade him to accompany them, in disguise, to a ball being held at the house of the Capulets (Le bal). At his first sight of Juliet, the daughter of the Capulets, Romeo instantly falls in love with her, without knowing who she is (L'amour heureux). Tybalt recognize Romeo and informs Juliet's parents. Romeo and Juliet learn from the Nurse who they are (Le bal 2). Tybalt, broken (he loves Juliet in secret), acknowledges that he is the son of hate and contempt (C'est pas ma faute).

After the ball, Juliet takes refuge in her room and dreams of Romeo (Le poète), who woos her at great personal risk in the Capulets' garden. They exchange lovers' vows and plan to marry in secret as soon as possible (Le balcon). Knowing that their families will never agree to their marriage, Romeo meets Friar Lawrence and asks him to marry them. He accepts hoping that this union will reconcile the two families (Par amour).

In the morning, Romeo meets his friends and tells the Nurse, whom everyone makes fun of (Les beaux, les laids), that Friar Lawrence will marry them the following afternoon. The Nurse, who deeply loves Juliet as her own daughter, announces the good news to Juliet (Et voilà qu'elle aime). Finally, Romeo and Juliet are married (Aimer).

;Act 2The next day, Benvolio and Mercutio meet Romeo: they accuse him of betrayal (On dit dans la rue). Out on the streets of Verona, Tybalt - unaware of his new blood tie to Romeo - searches for Romeo (C'est le jour) and when he finds him, challenges him to a fight, which Romeo refuses (Le duel). Mercutio takes up the challenge and is mortally wounded. Driven by guilt, vengeance and youthful-hotheadedness, Romeo kills Tybalt (Mort de Mercutio). The two families, plunged into mourning, ask the Prince for revenge (La vengeance). Finally, he banishes Romeo from Verona and thinks about the political power (Le pouvoir). In her bedroom, Juliet learns the bad news from the Nurse. She is torn between the love for her cousin and for her husband. Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence's. He thinks banishment is worse than death (Duo du désespoir).

Romeo and Juliet spend their wedding night together and Romeo makes his escape to Mantua (Le chant de l'alouette). Shortly after her husband has left, Juliet is informed by her parents that she is to be married to Paris. She refuses and they threaten to disown her (Demain). Upset, Lord Capulet sings about the love he has for his daughter (Avoir une fille). In her room, Juliet asks why she has to obey (Pourquoi). In Mantua, Romeo thinks of Juliet. In desperation, she turns to Friar Lawrence, who devises an ingenious plan, which he hopes will ultimately bring a happy ending for both the lovers and their two families (Sans elle).

Juliet appears to go along with the marriage plans but, in the night before the wedding, she takes the drug prepared by Friar Lawrence which makes her appear dead (Le poison). Juliet is duly laid in the family vault, hoping to wake up to find Romeo waiting for her. Unfortunately, The Friar's message telling Romeo of the plan somehow goes astray, and instead he hears only from Benvolio that his wife Juliet is dead (Comment lui dire).

Grief stricken, he breaks into the Capulet vault, finds what he believes to be the mortal remains of his beloved, and takes poison to be reunited with her in death (Mort de Roméo). Soon afterwards, Juliet awakes to find her husband dead and she stabs herself with Romeo's dagger (La mort de Juliette). Friar Lawrence enters the vault and finds the two lovers dead. He complains to God (J'sais plus). When the whole story is told, the two devastated families agree henceforward to live in peace (Coupables).

Original French cast

Romeo (Roméo) (until 23/06/02) Damien Sargue; (from 8/11/02) Vincent Eliott
Juliet (Juliette): Cécilia Cara
Benvolio: Grégori Baquet
Mercutio: Philippe d'Avilla
Tybalt: Tom Ross
Lady Montague: Eléonore Beaulieu
Lady Capulet (until 17/11/01) Isabelle Ferron; (from 18/11/01) Karoline Blandin
The Nurse (La Nurse) (until 23/06/02) Réjane Perry; (from 8/11/02) Rachel Pignot
Lord Capulet (Comte Capulet): Sébastien Chato
Friar Lawrence (Frère Laurent): Jean-Claude Hadida
The Prince (Le Prince de Vérone): Frédéric Charter
Paris (until 23/06/02) Essaï; (from 8/11/02) Philippe Candelon
The Poet (Le Poète): Serge Le Borgne
Death (La Mort) Anne Mano; then Béatrice Warrand [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id7.html Roméo et Juliette - de la Haine à l'Amour] ]

ongs

Character key:
R : Roméo
J : Juliette
B : Benvolio
M : Mercutio
T : Tybalt
LM : Lady Montaigu
LC : Lady Capulet
CC : Comte Capulet
LN : La Nurse
PV : Le Prince de Vérone
FL : Frère Laurent
LP : Le Poète
P : Paris
LaM : La Mort
GP : Gérard Presgurvic
LT : La TroupeNotes :
- "La folie" and "Pourquoi" were sung until Jun. 27, 2001. They can be found on the L'Integrale recording and the second disc of some DVD recordings.
- "Sans elle" is sung only by Roméo on the cast recording, but by Roméo and Juliette during the show
- Curtain calls were "Aimer", "Vérone" (punctually) and "Les rois du monde"

Productions

Productions of the musical have included the following: [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id25.html Set Lists] ]
*"Roméo et Juliette: de la Haine à l'Amour" (Jan. 19, 2001 - Dec. 21, 2002)/(June 18, 2002 - Sep. 21, 2002) -- (Paris, Palais des Congrès) and French-Canadian tour (opening at Montreal, Théâtre St-Denis). The French-Canadian cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id19.html Roméo & Juliette - French Canadian] ] Romeo (Roméo) was Hugo, and Juliet (Juliette) was played by Ariane Gauthier. Direction and choreography was by Jean Grand-Maître.

*"Romeo en Julia: van Haat tot Liefde" (Sep. 22, 2002 - March 16, 2003)/(Jan. 27, 2004 - Apr. 25, 2004) -- (Antwerp, Stadsschouwburg Theatre) and Netherlands Tour. The cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id9.html Romeo en Julia - van Haat tot Liefde] ] Davy Gilles as Romeo and Veerle Casteleyn as Juliet. Direction and cChoreography were by Redha.

*"Romeo and Juliet: the Musical" (Oct. 18, 2002 - Feb. 8, 2003) -- (London, Piccadilly Theatre). The cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id10.html Romeo and Juliet - the Musical] ] Andrew Bevis as Romeo and Lorna Want (later Zara Dawson) as Juliet. The translation was by Don Black, direction and choreography were by David Freeman, and musical staging was by Redha.

*"Rómeó és Júlia" (Jan. 23, 2004 - the Present) -- (Budapest, Budapest Operetta Theatre). The cast included, [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id43.html Rómeó és Júlia] as Romeo (Rómeó), Dolhai Attila (01/2004-), György Rózsa Sándor (01/2004-06/2005, 09/2006-06/2007), Bálint Ádám (09/2004-), and Száraz Tamás (09/2006-); and as Juliet (Júlia), Szinetár Dóra (01/2004-), Mahó Andrea (01/2004-06/2006), Vágó Bernadett (09/2006-), and Vágó Zsuzsi (09/2006-). Direction was by Kerényi Miklós Gábor, and choreography was by Duda Éva.

*January 27th, 2004 (Rotterdam, Nieuwe Luxor Theatre). In the Netherlands / Belgium tour version, the cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id41.html Romeo en Julia - the NetherlandsTour] Davy Gilles as Romeo and Jennifer Van Brenk as Juliet. Direction and choreography were by Redha.

*"Roméo i Juliette: ot Nenavist do Lubvi" (May 20, 2004 - June 12, 2006) -- Russian (Moscow, Moscow Operetta Theatre). The cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id48.html Roméo & Juliette] ] Eduard Shuljevskii as Romeo (Ромео) and Sofia Nigjaradze as Juliet (Джульетта).

*"Romeo und Julia: das Musical" (Feb. 24, 2005 - July 8, 2006) -- Austrian (Vienna, Raimund Theatre). The cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id49.html Romeo und Julia - Das Musical] ] Lukas Perman as Romeo and Marjan Shaki as Juliet. Tybalt was Mark Seibert. Direction and choreography were by Redha.

*"Roméo et Juliette 2007" (Jan. 20, 2007 - Mar. 21, 2007)/(Apr. 5, 2007 - Apr. 21, 2007) -- Asia Tour. The cast included [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id72.html Asia Tour Cast] ] Damien Sargue as Romeo and Joy Esther as Juliet. Direction and choreography were by Redha.

Differences among productions

Below are descriptions of differences among productions in the treatment of the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. [ [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/id24.html Differences] ]

*In the original French production, after Romeo sings "Mort de Romeo", the character known as "Death" kills Romeo with a kiss. When Juliet wakes up to find him dead, she sings "La Mort de Juliette" Death then hands her Romeo's dagger, which she uses to kill herself. The Belgian/Dutch version follows this treatment.

*French Canadian version: After singing "Mort de Romeo", Romeo drinks a poison and falls lifeless in front of Juliet's "death bed"; Juliet then finds him dead, and with his head on her lap she sings "La Mort de Juliette" and then kills herself with Romeo's dagger.

*British version: Romeo and Juliet both kill themselves with Romeo's dagger.

*Hungarian version: Taking Juliet into a harnest, Romeo hangs himself as he is strapped to Juliet. Juliet kills herself with Romeo's dagger, but she slits her wrists instead of bringing the dagger into her stomach.

*Russian version: Death "sucks the life" out of Romeo. So, he basically just puts his lips together and sucks his breath in. Juliette kills herself with Romeo's dagger.

*Austrian version: Romeo drinks a vial of poison, and similar to "Romeo + Juliet", Juliet wakes up just in time to watch him die. She kills herself with Romeo's dagger.

Costume designs in the various productions are influenced by local renaissance costume traditions.

References

External links

* [http://www-compat.tf1.fr/sites_evenements/romeojuliette/index.htm Roméo et Juliette: de la Haine à l'Amour Official Website]
* [http://www.operettszinhaz.hu/Main.php?o=0&nyelvid=2&mod=elo&time=2006&did=19&nyelvid=2&k1=1#d19 Rómeó és Júlia Official Site]
* [http://www.romeoundjuliadasmusical.at/ Romeo und Julia: das Musical Official Website]
* [http://www.romeojulietmusicals.com/ Romeo & Juliet: the Musicals Website]
* [http://www.romeoejulietta.com/ Romeo & Julietta: il Musical in Italiano]
* [http://www.romeonjuliette.com/ Romeo & Juliette in Korean]
* [http://newaspect.aobox.com/2007_romeo_juliette Romeo & Juliette in Traditional Chinese]
* [http://www.myspace.com/romeoetjuliettemusical Romeo & Juliette : Official MySpace]