Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

Roméo et Juliette

Opera in four acts

Music:
Charles Gounod (CHAR-ehls Goo-NOH)
b. 18 June 1818; Paris, France
d. 18 October 1893; Saint-Cloud, France

Libretto:
Jules Barbier and Michel Carré after William Shakespeare

Premiere:
27 April, 1867; Théâtre Lyrique, Paris

Please note that, for all intents and purposes, there is no syllabic stress in French; therefore no syllables will be in bold face type. In addition, the French language utilizes sounds that incorporate a nasality - the vowel is not actually pronounced but is inflected. Nasalities will be marked with an asterisk.

Principal Characters:

Juliette (ZH**-lee-eht) Of the House of Capulet Soprano
Roméo (Roh-MAY-oh) Of the House of Montague Tenor
Gertrude (ZHER-Tr**d) Juliette's nurse Contralto
Père Laurent (Pehr Loh-ROHN) Priest Basso profundo
Mercutio (Mer-C**-see-oh) Friend of Roméo Baritone
Stephano (Steh-FAH-noh) A page in the House of Montague Mezzo soprano
Le Comte Capulet (Luh Com*t Cah-p**-LAY) Juliette's Father Bass
Tybalt (TEE-bahylt) Friend of the Capulets Tenor

**Form your lips to say the vowel "ooh" and, maintaining that position, say the vowel "eeh"

Roméo et Juliette (Roh-MAY-oh ay ZHOO-lee-eht) takes place in Verona in the 14th century. (Mah-REE-ah Stoo-AHR-dah) takes place in London, England in the second part of the 16th century.

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