Many a literary work has adapted the touching love story of Romeo and Juliet, a boy and a girl from two feuding families. In the 16th century alone there appeared novellas by Luigi Porto (1524) and Matteo Bendello (1554), a poem by Gherardo Bolderi (1553) and plays by Arthur Brooke (1562) and Lope de Vega (1590). But it was William Shakespeare’s play that was destined to become one of the greatest tragedies ever.

The Shakespearean plot permeates the subsequent musical art. Particularly famous are Hector Berlioz’s dramatic symphony, Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture (the final version of 1880), Prokofiev’s ballet (1938) and Zeffirelli’s film to Nino Rota’s music (1968).

Among over 40 opera versions of Shakespeare’s play, Gounod’s Romeo and Juliette (1875) is one of the most successful. Following the traditions of the French lyrical opera, the composer sought to convey the emotional sufferings of the characters. Gounod focused his attention on Romeo and Juliette’s love, which is covered in two brilliant arias and four love duets. The two families’ feud is just a background to the love story.

At the Epiphany Festival, Fabio Mastrangelo, who conducted the opera two years ago at the Arena di Verona, will present his own interpretation of Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. A prize-winner of Placido Domingo’s Operalia, Belvedere and other competitions, South-African soprano Pretty Yende will perform as Juliette.