Roméo et Juliette

Prologue
The Capulets and Montaigus, two rival families, have been fighting each other for centuries. Their hatred will seal the fatal fate of their children, Roméo and Juliette.

Act 1:
A masked ball in the Capulet mansion
Juliette, the host’s daughter, is celebrating her birthday. Tybalt, her cousin, and Count Pâris discuss the girl’s future marriage to the Count. Juliette’s appearance on her father’s arm sparks the guests’ admiration. Capulet launches the festivities and invites the dancers to join the party. Roméo, Mercutio and Benvolio, members of the Montaigu family and enemies of the Capulets, have secretly slipped into the party. Roméo is tormented by dark premonitions. His friend Mercutio tries to cheer him up and makes fun of him affectionately. Juliette appears again, accompanied by her nurse Gertrude. The young girl dreams of living and enjoying her youth. She declares that she is not ready to marry Count Pâris. Roméo sees Juliette for the first time and falls in love, without knowing who she is. He goes to meet her, without telling her his name. Between the two young people, it is love at first sight: they kiss for the first time. Tybalt joins them and recognises Roméo’s voice. The two lovers discover each other’s names and realise that their love is impossible. Juliette senses that her love will be tied to death. Tybalt, enraged that a Montaigu has dared to come to the Capulets’ party, wants to start a fight. As the situation threatens to degenerate, the Montaigus leave the ball and Juliette’s father resumes the festivities.

Act 2:
The Capulet garden
Roméo has been separated from his friends and is looking for Juliette. He finds himself in the Capulet garden under the young girl’s window. He calls out to Juliette, comparing her to the rising sun. She appears on his balcony without seeing him and confesses to the night her dawning love for Roméo. The young man then reveals his presence to her. The two lovers exchange declarations of love and oaths of fidelity. Suddenly they are interrupted by Grégorio and other Capulet servants. The latter run into the garden looking for Roméo’s page, Stéphano. When calm returns, Roméo emerges from his hiding place and Juliette says she is ready to marry him. Roméo repeats his oath. They are interrupted again, this time by Gertrude calling Juliette. The girl has to return indoors and the two lovers reluctantly part.

Act 3:
Friar Laurent’s cell
Romeo visits Friar Laurent in his cell and reveals his love for Juliette Capulet. Juliette arrives with Gertrude. The two lovers ask Friar Laurent to unite them. Convinced of the strength of their bond, he agrees to marry them.

A street in front of the Capulet mansion
Roméo’s page, Stéphano, is looking for his master and taunts the Capulets with a song addressed to a “white turtledove” held captive in a “nest of vultures”. Grégorio and other Capulet servants appear. Stéphano then challenges Grégorio “in song”. The latter, provoked, starts the duel. Mercutio comes running with Benvolio and protests at this unequal fight. Tybalt, who has arrived with Pâris, warns Mercutio to watch his words and they in turn engage in a duel. When Roméo arrives, Tybalt immediately turns to face him, but Roméo, who remains cool, asks Tybalt to stop fighting and to forget the hatred between the two families. Mercutio, appalled by his friend’s reaction, lunges at Tybalt to defend Roméo’s honour. Tybalt inflicts a mortal wound on Mercutio. Roméo, overcome with anger, seeks revenge: he fights a duel with Tybalt and deals him a fatal blow. Capulet rushes in only to see his nephew die. The people of Verona, drawn by the sounds of battle, crowd around the dead man. A fanfare announces the arrival of the Duke of Verona. Capulet and the supporters of both houses cry out for justice. The Duke condemns Roméo to exile and demands that the two families stop fighting. Before the curtain falls, however, the members of both houses again swear hatred for each other.

Act 4:
Juliette’s room
Roméo has secretly slipped into Juliette’s room where they spend their wedding night. Juliette forgives Roméo for killing her cousin Tybalt. They both sing of their love. Suddenly, Roméo hears the lark announce the day and wants to leave. Juliette refuses to believe him: she thinks it is the nightingale that has sung, leaving them  with time. But the two lovers realise that they must separate before they are discovered together. Roméo leaves just in time. Gertrude followed by Capulet and Friar Laurent arrive in the room. Juliette’s father then tells her that her marriage to Pâris has been arranged for the same day, according to Tybalt’s last wish. Juliette is in despair. When her father leaves her room, she tells Friar Laurent that she would rather die than marry Pâris. The priest suggests a ruse: he has prepared a potion that will make her appear to be dead and thus enable her to escape the marriage. The Capulets will transport her body to the family tomb, where Roméo will find her. Juliette agrees. She summons up all her courage to empty the vial.

A room in the Capulet household
Juliette enters to the sound of a wedding march. The guests offer her their best wishes, but when the moment comes to celebrate the marriage with Pâris, she collapses, to everyone’s amazement. Capulet mourns the death of his daughter.

Act 5:
An underground crypt in the Capulet mansion
Friar Jean, a monk entrusted by Friar Laurent with the task of informing Roméo of the ruse, warns that Roméo has not received the letter. Roméo appears in the crypt, believing Juliette to be dead. Beside the girl’s lifeless body, he consumes a poison that he carries with him. But Juliette awakens and they sing of their love. Roméo confesses that he has just taken poison. He grows weak and collapses. Juliette then reveals a dagger hidden in her clothes and kills herself. They embrace one last time. In a last breath of life, Roméo and Juliette call for divine mercy.