Roméo et Juliette

In the organizer's words:

Who doesn't know the tragically heartbreaking love story from Mantua? Two people from hostile families who love each other so much that they break the chains of tradition and their rigid family structures, but have to pay for their courage with death. They want to do more than just what is forbidden, they want to love and live freely: Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare's version, printed in 1597, is regarded as the starting point for a wealth of adaptations in theater, ballet, film, musicals and opera, including Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod.

The French composer is one of the most important composers and organists of the 19th century and, in addition to numerous works for the church and especially for the organ, also wrote a large number of operatic works. The operas Faust after Goethe and Roméo et Juliette are still particularly popular today. The premiere of the latter took place in Paris in 1867 at the time of the Universal Exhibition and helped the stage work to become very well known; the opera with its enchanting melodies and moving choral passages was quickly performed beyond the borders of France. Just six months after the premiere, it was given its German premiere at the Royal Court Theater in Dresden. To this day, this opera remains a popular classic with audiences and a firm fixture in the repertoires of opera houses.