Roméo et Juliette Is May 5, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The May 5, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is Roméo et Juliette by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod.

Plácido Domingo conducts and Ailyn Pérez sings the title female role in the 2017-2018 Met Opera season's performances of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette: AILYN PÉREZ @AilynPerez1 via Twitter April 4, 2018

Roméo et Juliette, a five-act opera about naïve young love amid family feuds by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893), is the May 5, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Credit for the French libretto goes to French librettists Paul Jules Barbier (March 8, 1825-Jan. 16, 1901) and Michel Carré (Oct. 20, 1821-June 27, 1872).

The literary source for Barbier and Carré’s French libretto is The Tragedie of Romeo and Juliet by Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare (baptized April 26, 1564-April 23, 1616). Shakespeare’s writing of the Verona’s tragedy dates to between 1591 and 1595.

Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette premiered April 27, 1867, at Théâtre Lyrique’s Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris’s first arrondissement (1er arrondissement de Paris). Théâtre Lyrique’s previous premieres of Gounod operas include the redemptive tragedy, Faust (premiere March 19, 1859).

Six performances of Roméo et Juliette are scheduled for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. Opening night, Monday, April 23, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, marks the opera’s 344th performance by the Metropolitan Opera. The month’s second performance takes place Friday, April 27, at 8 p.m.

Four performances are scheduled for May, beginning Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s second performance is the Saturday matinee broadcast Saturday, May 5, at 1 p.m. The month’s third performance takes place Wednesday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. The fourth performance marks closing night, Saturday, May 12, at 1 p.m.

Estimated run time for the five-act opera is 3 hours 2 minutes. Acts I, II, and III’s scene 1 are set for 75 minutes. An intermission of 35 minutes follows the first three and one-half acts. Act III’s scene 2 and acts IV and V span 72 minutes.

Plácido Domingo conducts all performances, including the May 5 Saturday matinee broadcast. His birthplace is Madrid, central Spain. The Spanish tenor, who sings the Miller baritone role, debuted Sept. 28, 1968, as Maurizio in the Metropolitan Opera’s 16th performance of Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Plácido Domingo also sings, appearing in the fatherly baritone role in Luisa Miller by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Ailyn Pérez appears in all performances as Juliette Capulet, tragically in love with Roméo Montagu, whose family is locked in a feud with Juliette’s family. Her birthplace is Chicago, Cook County, northeastern Illinois. The American operatic soprano debuted Feb. 6, 2015, as Micaëla in the Metropolitan Opera’s 994th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Ailyn Pérez also appears in the title role in Thaïs by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912) and as Countess Almavivia in Le Nozze di Figaro by 18 century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Karine Deshayes appears in all performances in the trouser role of Stéphano, Roméo’s page who supports the secret romance between Juliette and Roméo. The French mezzo-soprano debuted Oct. 3, 2006, in the trouser role of Siebel in the Metropolitan Opera’s 723rd performance of Gounod’s Faust.

Charles Castronovo appears in all performances as Roméo, who loves Juliette despite their families' feud. His birthplace is Queens, New York City, southwestern Long Island, southeastern New York. The American operatic tenor debuted Sept. 27, 1999, as Beppe in the Metropolitan Opera's 678th performance of Pagliacci ‏by Italian opera composer and librettist Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, he also appears as Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and also in the Met's family-friendly, English-language version, The Magic Flute.

(Bryan Hymel originally was scheduled to appear in all performances as Roméo. The Metropolitan Opera announced his illness and replacement by Charles Castronovo via Twitter April 18, 2018. His birthplace is New Orleans, southeastern Louisiana. The American tenor debuted Dec. 26, 2012, as Aeneas in the Metropolitan Opera’s 41st performance of Les Troyens by 19th century French Romantic composer Louis-Hector Berlioz [Dec. 11, 1803-March 8, 1869].)

Update: Andrea Shin replaces Charles Castronovo, who is ill, as Roméo for the April 23 opening night performance. His birthplace is South Korea. The South Korean tenor makes his Metropolitan Opera debut with his opening night appearance as Roméo. (Update via The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Twitter April 23, 2018.)

Joshua Hopkins appears in all performances as Mercutio, Roméo’s friend who has a fatal duel with Tybalt, Lady Capulet’s nephew. The Canadian baritone debuted Oct. 28, 2009, as Ping in the Metropolitan Opera’s 271st performance of Turandot by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Kwangchul Youn appears in all performances as Frère Laurent, who hopes that the marriage he performs between Juliette and Roméo will bring happiness and end the Capulet-Montagu feud. His birthplace is Chung Ju, North Chungcheong province, central South Korea. The South Korean operatic bass debuted Oct. 8, 2004, as Sarastro in the Metropolitan Opera’s 343rd performance of Die Zauberflöte by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Kwangchul Youn also appears as Ferrando in Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

Met Opera’s 2017-2018 staging of Roméo et Juliette revisits Bartlett Sher’s new production, which debuted Dec. 31, 2016, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 330th performance of the star-crossed tragedy. The American theater director’s production team comprises Michael Yeargan, set designer; Catherine Zuber, costume designer; Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer; Chase Brock, choreographer.

Roméo et Juliette appears as the 23rd and last of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. Cendrillon was the season’s 22nd Saturday matinee broadcast. Massenet’s Cendrillon aired Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m.

Online database Operabase places Charles-François Gounod at number 21 in a worldwide ranking of 1,281 composers for the five seasons from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. Places 20 and 22 are occupied by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet and 18th century German Early Classical Era composer Christoph Willibald Gluck, respectively.

Roméo et Juliette occupies place 65 in the worldwide list of 2,658 most popular operas. Places 64 and 66 are held by German late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss’s Elektra and by 19th century German composer Richard Wagner’s Siegfried, respectively.

Roméo et Juliette’s Metropolitan Opera debut took place April 16, 1884. Prior to the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Roméo et Juliette’s most recent Met Opera performances occurred during the 2016-2017 season.

The Metropolitan Opera’s Repertory Report provides statistics for the opera house’s operatic performances. Roméo et Juliette is in place 23. Places 22 and 24 are occupied by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet’s Der Rosenkavalier and by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, respectively.

The takeaway for Roméo et Juliette as the May 5, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23rd Saturday matinee broadcast closes the season with a Shakespearean star-crossed tragedy in which youth value love over family feuds.

The Metropolitan Opera revisits American theater director Bartlett Sher's 2016-2017 staging of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with 2017-2018 season performances in April and May: BAM ‏@BAM_Brooklyn via Twitter April 24, 2018

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Plácido Domingo conducts and Ailyn Pérez sings the title female role in the 2017-2018 Met Opera season's performances of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette: AILYN PÉREZ @AilynPerez1 via Twitter April 4, 2018, @ https://twitter.com/AilynPerez1/status/981533909136572417

The Metropolitan Opera revisits American theater director Bartlett Sher's 2016-2017 staging of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with 2017-2018 season performances in April and May: BAM ‏@BAM_Brooklyn via Twitter April 24, 2018, @ https://twitter.com/BAM_Brooklyn/status/988809885604368384

For further information:

AILYN PÉREZ @AilynPerez1. "Chatting with our living legend Maestro @PlacidoDomingo who conducts our Roméo & Juliette at @metopera. He always works from the heart, devoting his time and energy on bringing opera to life with expressivity and abandon! #MetOpera #ComingSoon #Keepingupwithdomingo." Twitter. April 4, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/AilynPerez1/status/981533909136572417

BAM ‏@BAM_Brooklyn. "#RSCKingLear and looking for more Shakespeare in the city? Head uptown to our friends @MetOpera and catch Gounod’s lush operatic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, now through May 12." Twitter. April 24, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/BAM_Brooklyn/status/988809885604368384

"Composers: Composers Ranked by the Number of Performances of Their Operas Over the Five Seasons 2011/2012 to 2015/16." Operabase > Opera Statistics.
Available @ http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en

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Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354746

“Debut: Plácido Domingo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 216130 Adriana Lecouvreur {16} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/1968.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=216130

“Debuts: Ailyn Pérez, Gábor Bretz.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355797 Carmen {994} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/06/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355797

Debuts: Andrea Shin, Bogdan Volkov." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356960 Roméo et Juliette {344} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/23/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356960

“Debuts: Andris Nelsons, Lise Lindstrom, Joshua Hopkins . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353144 Turandot {271} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/28/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353144

"Debuts: José Cura, Charles Castronovo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 332000 Cavalleria Rusticana {636} Pagliacci {678} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/27/1999.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=332000

“Debuts: L’ubica Vargicová, Volker Vogel, Kwangchul Youn . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351036 Die Zauberflöte {343} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351036

“Debuts: Tommi Hakala, Karine Deshayes.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351561 Faust {723} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/03/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351561

Jackson, Paul. Saturday Afternoons at the Old Met: The Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts, 1931-1950. Portland OR: Amadeus Press, 1992.

Marriner, Derdriu. “Cendrillon Is the April 28, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 23, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/cendrillon-is-april-28-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Metropolitan Opera’s Gallery Met Short for Roméo et Juliette.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/metropolitan-operas-gallery-met-short.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Roméo et Juliette Is the Jan. 21, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/romeo-et-juliette-is-jan-21-2017.html

Metropolitan Opera ‏@MetOpera. "For all performances of Roméo et Juliette this season Charles Castronovo sings Roméo, replacing Bryan Hymel who is ill. #CastChange." Twitter. April 18, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/986707340547317760

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "For the performance of ROMÉO ET JULIETTE this evening (4/23), Roméo will be sung by Andrea Shin (making his debut), replacing Charles Castronovo, who is ill." Twitter. April 23, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/988482108120293377

"Performances Statistics Through October 31, 2016.” MetOpera Database > The Metropolitan Opera Archives > Repertory Report.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/Database%20Opera%20Statistics.xml