Charles Gounod: Roméo et JulietteZurich Opera House
Juliet kisses the lifeless Romeo one last time before stabbing herself – that is how Shakespeare ends this tragic love story. The French composer Charles Gounod ends his own operatic version of the story Roméo et Juliette with a magnificent lyrical duet. This new production in Zurich presents an ideal pairing of vocal and acting talent with Julie Fuchs and Benjamin Bernheim in the title roles.
Roméo et Juliette is Gounod's most important opera after Faust. It premiered during the Paris World's Fair of 1867 and was such a success that it ran to more than a hundred performances.
This new staging of the work in Zurich stars an absolute dream team of vocal and acting talent: the soprano Julie Fuchs and the tenor Benjamin Bernheim. Both French singers began their careers at the Zurich opera house and now rank among the big names on the international opera scene.
Julie Fuchs, who is famed for her vocal virtuosity, musical intelligence and astounding stage presence, enters the stage in the first act to sing one of the work's greatest hits, the waltz "Je veux vivre".
Benjamin Bernheim proved his affinity for the role of the passionate young lover with his rendition of Romeo's famous aria "Ah! Lève-toi, soleil" on his first solo album.
The staging is the work of the American director Ted Huffman, who is returning to Zurich having previously directed its highly acclaimed production of another tragic love story: Puccini's Madame Butterfly.
Production
Accentus Music GmbH
With
Julie Fuchs
Benjamin Bernheim
Brent Michael Smith
Yuriy Hadzetskyy
Alejandro Del Angel
Svetlina Stoyanova
David Soar
Katia Ledoux
Omer Kobiljak
Andrew Moore
Jungrae Noah Kim
Valeriy Murga
Composer
Charles Gounod
Director
Ted Huffman
TV production
Michael Beyer
Music director
Roberto Forés Veses
Orchestra
Philharmonia Zürich
Choir director
Ernst Raffelsberger
Choir
Chor der Oper Zürich
Choreography
Pim Veulings
Country
Germany
Switzerland
Year
2023
In partnership with
Zurich, Switzerland
