ROMEO AND JULIET (1867)

Romeo Duke Kim

Juliet Magdalena Kuzma

Mercutio Olivier Zerouali*

Friar Laurence Sergio Martínez*

Count Capulet Stefano de Peppo

Tybalt Hayden Smith*

The Duke John Mburu*

Stéphano Lisa Marie Rogali*

Gertrude Meredith Arwady

Grégorio Darren Lekeith Drone

Paris Jonathan Patton*

Benvolio Will Upham*

The Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and Chorus

Conductor Joseph Colaneri

Director Simon Godwin

Choreographer Jonathan Goddard

Set Designer Dan Soule

Costume Designer Loren Shaw

Lighting Designer Robert Wierzel

Hair & Makeup Tom Watson

Projected Titles Kelley Rourke

Chorus Director Katherine Kozak

Assistant Director Joshua R. Horowitz

Assistant Conductor Robert Kahn*

Principal Coach Anna Betka

Fight Director Casey Kaleba

Assistant Coach Laura Bleakley*

Diction Coach Christopher Devlin

Stage Manager Laurel McIntyre

*Member of the Young Artists Program

Detailed ensemble casting is available on glimmerglass.org.

At a masked ball at the Capulet palace, Tybalt points out his cousin, Juliet, to his friend Paris. Although Juliet has been promised to Paris, she claims she is in no rush to marry. But when she encounters Romeo, who has sneaked into the party with his friends, she finds herself powerfully drawn to him. It is only after the two strangers share a tender moment that they realize each other’s identity: Romeo is a Montague, Juliet is a Capulet, and the two families have feuded bitterly for generations.

Later, Romeo steals into the Capulets' garden. When Juliet steps onto her balcony, Romeo declares his love, and she promises to be his wife. Romeo confides in Friar Laurence, who agrees to perform the marriage in secret. Meanwhile, Romeo’s page, Stéphano, taunts the Capulets. A fight breaks out. Romeo pleads for the two families to forget their feud, but Tybalt refuses to listen. When Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, Romeo kills Tybalt.

Romeo returns to Juliet, who forgives him. The next morning, Capulet tells his daughter she will marry Paris that very day. Friar Laurence devises a plan: Juliet will take a potion that will send her into a deathlike sleep; instead of being wed to Paris, she will be laid in the tomb, and eventually reunited with Romeo. Romeo hears of Juliet’s “death” and, before anyone can explain the details of the plan, he goes to her tomb and poisons himself. As her potion wears off and she realizes what he has done, she takes her own life.

Sung in French with projected English text.

Seven performances: July 15, 17m, 30m; August 4, 10, 12m, 19m, 2023

Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes , including one 25-minute intermission

This production is generously co-sponsored by Elizabeth M. and Jean-Marie R. Eveillard and Jacqueline B. Mars.

Co-production with Washington National Opera