"220th Anniversary of Berlioz's Birth"... National Symphony Performs Complete 'Romeo and Juliet'

Large-scale Ensemble of 200 Including Solo and Chorus
"A Work Like Blockbuster Movie Music"

The National Symphony Orchestra announced on the 3rd that it will perform 'Romeo and Juliet' to commemorate the 220th anniversary of Berlioz's birth.

The National Symphony Orchestra will perform Berlioz's "Romeo and Juliet" on the 17th.
[Photo by National Symphony Orchestra]

Through the performance at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on the 17th, the orchestra will explore Berlioz's colorful and pictorial musical world through 'Romeo and Juliet,' which attempts to musically interpret literature.

Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' published in 1594, has inspired numerous composers such as Tchaikovsky, Gounod, Bellini, and Prokofiev. Tchaikovsky presented it as a fantasy overture, Gounod and Bellini as operas, and Prokofiev as a ballet score.

Berlioz, who had been contemplating new orchestral sounds, realized Romeo and Juliet as a dramatic symphony with vocal parts. With a performance time exceeding 90 minutes, it is known as a piece rarely performed in its entirety since its Korean premiere in 1988.

This stage features a large-scale ensemble of over 200 performers, including three soloists?mezzo-soprano Kim Jeong-mi, tenor Moon Se-hoon, and French bass-baritone Edwin C. Mercer?along with the National Chorus, Grande Opera Chorus, and the orchestra.

The orchestra acts as the protagonist in Romeo and Juliet. Berlioz felt the limitations of expressing sublime love solely through words and sought to convey deep emotions through instrumental music, which allows infinite expression. Audiences can experience a rich orchestral sound combined with solos, chorus, and choral recitatives (a singing style resembling spoken dialogue) in a variety of tones.

Another highlight of the work is the chorus. With the theme of dramatic love, Berlioz connected drama and music through the 'chorus.' The choir is divided into two groups representing the long-feuding Montague family of Romeo and the Capulet family of Juliet. The three vocalists serve as narrators conveying the overall storyline, Mercutio as Romeo's friend, and Friar Laurence who supports the love of Romeo and Juliet.

Artistic Director David Ryland said, “As you focus on the orchestra transformed into Romeo and Juliet, a work like a grand blockbuster film score, you will be captivated by the dramatic expression and the colorful beauty of orchestration that Berlioz intended to portray.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.