Andy Orin, Margaret WoodMari Suzuki, Nikki Saucedo

IHUM 51: Transformations

3 December 2003

Origins of Romeo & Juliet

First published in 1597 Arthur Brooke first brought the story of Romeus

and Juliet to English (1562) Many plot points directly from Brooke Pyramus and Thisbe (Greek Mythology)

MusicTransformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Tchaikovsky’s

Romeo and Juliet

fantasy-overture

Source: inkpot.com/classical/people/ tchaikovsky.jpg

Tchaikovsky’s of Romeo & Juliet:

depicts Friar Lawrence Quiet chorale with

clarinets and bassoons Slow and calm Minor chords forebode

trouble

Windows Media Player

MusicMatch

Audio CD

Introduction

Tchaikovsky’s of Romeo & Juliet:

The “Fight”Feud between

Capulets and Montagues

Represents clashing swords

broken up, fast-moving notes

Sharp accents Source: www.celebhost.net/tonyrusso/pic4.jpg

Tchaikovsky’s of Romeo & Juliet:

Love Theme

English horn and violas commence

Woodwinds and strings in near unison

Passionate, dark color (D-flat major)

Source: www.theatrehistory.com/british/ romeoandjuliet.jpg

Tchaikovsky’s of Romeo & Juliet:

Finale

Funeral march Recapitulation dissonance Prominent low notes Sharp finalizing notes

Source: www.augustaballet.org/Pages/ Photo%20History.html

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

1811-Denmark, Romeo og Giulietta 1940-Russia, choreography by Lavrovsky

and music by Sergei Prokofiev1979-Bolshoi, choreography by Yuri

Grigorovich and music by Sergei Prokofiev

Ballet

Ballet as an artistic medium

use of pantomime and danceenhancement of emotion -LOVEchoreographic motivesspecific scenes

--introduction of Juliet--balcony sequence--death sequence

First released on November 1, 1996

Produced by Baz Luhrmann

Retains Shakespeare’s original plot

Some text has been cut, but nothing has been added (1/3 of the dialogue)

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Film

Luhrmann’s Version

Is no longer a 15th century drama Transposed to modern day Verona Beach Downtown LA-style cityscape, a run-down, half-derelict

urban setting Maintains the divisions of Montague and Capulet (families

become corporations) Dialogue remains faithful to the text in many respects

(Elizabethan dialogue) Doublets and hoses now become retro-seventies costumes

(Romeo’s Hawaiian shirts, Tybalt’s leather pants, etc.) Instead of swords, characters, carry 9mm automatics

emblazoned with brand names such as “sword” or “rapier”

Luhrmann’s Version

Montagues and Capulets ride around in low-rider gang cars (gang-like appeal)

Television used as major mode of communication (Newscasters=Chorus)

Giant skyscrapers Utilizes items that may have been rather risque

for original setting (Mercutio in drag) Drugs are a technicality (ecstasy pill) Clear distinction of race (Mercutio is black,

Montagues are Hispanic, Capulets are Caucasian

Luhrmann’s Version

Rap music Religion plays an important role (Juliet’s

statues, Christ status in Verona Beach, Montague and Capulet’s guns)

May resemble an actual performance of a Shakespeare play (camera angles)

Modern day setting dilutes the tragedy

Frederic Lord Leighton,1853-55

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Painting

SourcesTchaikovsky inkpot.com/classical/people/ tchaikovsky.jpg

“Parry” www.celebhost.net/tonyrusso/pic4.jpg

www.augustaballet.org/Pages/ Photo%20History.html

www.pittsburghsymphony.org/education/supplements/suppmaterials

www.andrews.edu/~mack/pnotes/oct1301.html

www.billingssymphony.org/notes/sept.html

www.barbwired.com/barbweb/programs/tchaikovsky_romeo.html

www.grantparkmusicfestival.com/program_03-06-18.html

www.cso.org/pye_program_notes_2004_week6.taf

www.theatrehistory.com/british/ romeoandjuliet.jpg

Bolshoi at the Bolshoi: Romeo and Juliet. Music by Sergei Prokofiev. Revised choreography by Yuri Grigorovich. Featuring Irek Mukhamedov and Natalya Bessmertnova. Spectacor, 1989.

Center Stage. Written by Carol Heikkinen. Produced by Laurence Mark. Directed by Nicholas Hynter. Columbia Pictures, 2000.

Howard, Camille Cole. The Staging of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a Ballet. San Francisco: Mellen Research University Press, 1992.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1993.