Opéra en trois actes créé le 11 septembre 1793 au Théâtre Feydeau sur un livret de Joseph-Alexandre de Ségur
OPÉRA EN VERSION DE CONCERT
MÉLISSA PETIT, Juliette
CYRILLE DUBOIS, Roméo
MATHIEU LÉCROART, Capulet
EMMA FEKETE, Cécile
MATHIAS VIDAL, Cébas
JEAN KRISTOF BOUTON, Antonio
FRANÇOIS ROUGIER, Alberti, Don Fernand
CHOEUR DE LA RADIO FLAMANDE
LES TALENS LYRIQUES
CHRISTOPHE ROUSSET, direction
COPRODUCTION THÉÂTRE DES CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES
PALAZZETTO BRU ZANE – CENTRE DE MUSIQUE
ROMANTIQUE FRANÇAISE | LES TALENS LYRIQUES
While today it is above all the operas of Bellini and Gounod that are best known, the tragic story of the Lovers of Verona has inspired many composers. Daniel Steibelt’s, Roméo et Juliette, first performed on 11 September 1793, enjoyed considerable success in its time: still being staged more than thirty years after its premiere, the work was translated into several languages and gained recognition on international stages. It marked the beginning of the operatic career of this German composer, who had been living in Paris for several years and was then chiefly known as a virtuoso pianist. The first version of Roméo et Juliette, however, was rejected by the Académie royale de musique for financial reasons: Steibelt was therefore obliged to replace the recitatives with spoken dialogues, and the work was premiered as an opéra-comique at the Théâtre Feydeau.
Roméo et Juliette is particularly striking for the modernity of its orchestration, which would later earn Berlioz’s admiration. As for the libretto, it conforms to the conventions of opéra-comique: the third act concludes with a happy ending, uniting the lovers. Perhaps a way of warding off the tragic excesses of that year 1793, marked by the Reign of Terror?
Christophe Rousset