About this work:
For several videos inckuding a complete production and a studio audio recording with scrolling text see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RVDTGZPPK0&list=PLZwd_hjx1_U-g38QFY_lgd8hBBuh6qlFH
For complete score and libretto see:
http://donfreund.com/?page_id=2260
My goal in this version of Romeo and Juliet for singing actors and piano has been to capture in a music-theatre work the kind of immediacy one can find only in small theatre productions with effective but minimal sets and lighting, ingenious stage direction and charismatic actors. All of the “lyrics” are Shakespeare’s texts, abridged from five acts to three. The vocal writing for the leading characters is created in a tuneful style appropriate for young, clear, not particularly large voices, and a priority is placed on making the language readily intelligible and dramatically compelling. The choice of piano as the only instrumental component gives the actors freedom from concerns about audibility and instrumental ensemble issues. The glories of Shakespeare’s poetry and the vitality of his dramatic constructions take on a special resonance when song and music is worked into the tapestry. I hope that my musical version of Romeo and Juliet provides the opportunity for a music-theatre experience of the highest richness and quality that can be accessible for a wide range of theatre companies and audiences from off-Broadway to community theatre. A video from the 2011 touring production can be viewed on the Freundworks1 channel of YouTube. Complete text and other production notes can be found at on-line at http://www.music.indiana.edu/department/composition/romeo_and_juliet/ In the following Synopsis, track numbers refer to the mp3 files of the audio CD “studio” recording on the AMC site. ACT ONE (tracks 1 - 4) Scene 1: Verona town square Sampson and Gregory, servants of the house of Capulet pick a fight with Abraham and Balthasar, servants of the house of Montague. Benvolio (a Montague) tries to stop the fight, but Tybalt (a Capulet) enters and attacks Benvolio. A riot ensues, stopping only when the Prince appears and threatens everyone with death. Scene 2: Verona town square (tracks 5 - 6) Benvolio’s cousin Romeo describes (in profuse detail) his love-sickness. At this point, the object of his infatuation is Rosaline, who won’t return his love. Scene 3: Verona square/Juliet’s room (tracks 7 - 9) In this musical version of R&J, the previous scene continues simultaneously with the scene of Juliet, her mother, and her outrageously talkative nurse. On one side of the stage, Benvolio tries to get Romeo to solve his problem by looking for another woman, but Romeo seems determined to love and suffer. On the other side, the women discuss Juliet’s options for marriage. A Capulet messenger runs into the Montague boys, carrying a list of guests for a feast at his master’s house. At that same feast, Juliet is supposed to meet Paris, the man who has asked for her hand. Scene 4: Outside the Capulet house (tracks 10 - 11) As dance music from inside is overheard, the Montague boys have gathered outside, preparing to crash the Capulet feast. Romeo has misgivings, but his high-spirited friend Mercutio cheers and mocks him with his depiction of Queen Mab, the “fairies’ midwife.” Scene 5: The Capulet ballroom (tracks 12 - 14) The dance music continues throughout this scene. Lord Capulet welcomes the masked Montagues, though Tybalt believes Romeo should be skewered for this affront. Romeo sees Juliet, takes her hand; not knowing each other's identity, they fall in love. Scene 6: At Juliet’s Balcony (tracks 15 - 17) Romeo now knows that Juliet is a Capulet, but returns to her house and finds her on her balcony. They swear their love and plan a wedding for the next day. ACT TWO Scene 1: Early morning (tracks 18 - 19) Friar Laurence is gathering herbs and flowers for medicines and poisons. Romeo finds him, tells him (in an incomprehensibly poetic way at first) of his love for Juliet, and asks the Friar to marry them. Scene 2: Verona town square (tracks 20 - 22) Mercutio and Benvolio speculate on Romeo’s whereabouts, and his prospects should he answer a challenge from Tybalt. Romeo comes on the scene and exchanges puns with Mercutio. Juliet’s nurse appears with a message for Romeo, but she must first endure Mercutio’s taunts. Scene 3: Juliet’s room (tracks 23 - 25) Juliet is waiting (not very patiently) for the nurse’s return. The nurse appears, but is painfully slow in giving Juliet the news about her imminent marriage. Scene 4: Friar Laurence’s cell (tracks 26 - 27) As Friar Laurence prepares to marry the young couple, he is assured by Romeo: “Then love-devouring death do what he dare; It is enough I may but call her mine.” Scene 5: Verona town square (tracks 28-31) Benvolio warns Mercutio that staying at the square could mean trouble with the Capulets, but Mercutio scoffs. Tybalt arrives looking for Romeo, but Mercutio is more than willing to pick a fight with him himself. Romeo arrives and deflects Tybalt’s insults, not wishing to battle one of his new in-laws, but Mercutio refuses to allow the moment to pass and begins to fight Tybalt. In trying to hold them apart, Romeo causes Tybalt to stab Mercutio. As Mercutio dies, Romeo swears vengeance on Tybalt. Tybalt returns, and Romeo, empowered by rage, kills him. Too late he realizes that all has gone terribly awry: “O, I am fortune's fool!” ACT THREE Prologue (track 32) Lady Capulet begs the Prince to put Romeo to death; Benvolio pleads for pardon for Romeo. The Prince proclaims the penalty: exile. Scene 1: Juliet’s Room (tracks 33-35) Juliet awaits evening and the arrival of her husband. The nurse arrives with the cords — the rope ladder for Romeo, but she is devastated by the news of Tybalt’s death. At first Juliet believes it is Romeo who died; when she discovers that Romeo has killed Tybalt and is banished, she joins the nurse in denouncing Romeo, but soon recovers her love and loyalty. Her song of despair moves the nurse to go to find Romeo and bring him to Juliet; Juliet gives her a ring to give to Romeo. Scene 2: Friar Laurence’s Cell (tracks 36-37) Romeo tells the Friar he would prefer death to banishment. The Friar tells him he should be happy with his good fortune to be alive and have a loving wife. The nurse knocks, enters, and tells Romeo her mistress forgives him, and gives him Juliet’s ring. The Friar sends them on their way to Juliet, but warns Romeo: “Stay not till the watch be set.” Scene 3: Juliet’s Room, daybreak (tracks 38-41) The song of the lark marks the end of the lovers’ wedding night. Juliet begs Romeo not to leave — it is not the lark but a nightingale, not daylight but a meteor. But when Romeo agrees to stay and face death, she is terrified and realizes he must leave. His departure is hastened by the nurse’s announcement that Lady Capulet is on her way to the room. After shared thoughts of a better time to come and a farewell kiss, Juliet begs fickle fortune not to keep Romeo away for long. Lady Capulet believes Juliet’s grief is all due to Tybalt’s death and tries to cheer her with the news that she about to be married — to County Paris. She refuses. Lord Capulet enters, and when he hears that Juliet is rejecting a marriage he took great pains to arrange, he curses and disowns her and storms out. Her mother is also indignant and rejects her. Juliet then turns to the nurse for comfort, only to hear the nurse declare that this second match excels her first— “Romeo’s a dishclout to him!” Juliet pretends to see the error of her ways and tells the nurse she’ll make confession to Friar Laurence, but curses the nurse after she leaves. If the Friar can’t help her, she will kill herself. Scene 4: Friar Laurence’s Cell (tracks 42-44) The Friar knows of Juliet’s dilemma and sees that she is suicidal. When he suggests there may be a desperate solution, she assures him that she would undergo any list of horrors “rather than marry Paris…To live an unstain’d wife to my sweet love.” The Friar describes his plan: he will give Juliet a potion that will make her appear to be dead; after she has been left in the Capulet burial vault, she will awake as Romeo arrives to take her away to Mantua. Scene 5: Juliet’s Room (nightfall) (track 45) Juliet overcomes the chilling fear, and taking the potion, drinks to Romeo. Scene 6: Juliet’s Room (the following morning) (tracks 46-47) The nurse’s attempts to wake her mistress become more and more frantic; Lady and Lord Capulet discover their “dead” daughter. Friar Laurence joins the quartet, although his version of the lament suggests Juliet may be going to a better place. Scene 7: Romeo in Mantua (superimposed over Scene 6) (track 48) In his exile in Mantua, Romeo has not been made aware of the Friar’s plot. When Benvolio tells him of Juliet’s burial, he finds a vial of poison and plans to join her in death. Scene 8: Juliet’s Tomb (tracks 49-51) Romeo confronts the mouth of Juliet’s tomb, and opens it, promising it still more food. He swears to remain with her, “with worms that are thy chamber-maids.” He drinks the poison and dies with a kiss. Juliet awakes, and discovers the still-warm body of her poisoned love. She takes his dagger and stabs herself. Epilogue (track 52) The Prince begins the dirge-song, which is taken up by the rest of the cast, ending with the placeless, timeless characters of Romeo and Juliet: Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.