Andy Orin, Margaret Wood

Mari 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)

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Music

Tchaikovskys

Romeo and Juliet

fantasy-overture

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

Tchaikovskys of Romeo & Juliet:

Introduction
depicts

Friar Lawrence
Quiet chorale with
clarinets and bassoons
Slow and calm
Minor chords forebode
trouble

Audio CD

Windows Media Player

MusicMatch

Tchaikovskys 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

Tchaikovskys 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

Tchaikovskys 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:

Ballet

1811-Denmark,

Romeo og Giulietta
1940-Russia, choreography by Lavrovsky
and music by Sergei Prokofiev
1979-Bolshoi, choreography by Yuri
Grigorovich and music by Sergei Prokofiev

Ballet as an artistic medium

use

of pantomime and dance

enhancement of emotion -LOVE
choreographic motives
specific scenes
--introduction of Juliet
--balcony sequence
--death sequence

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Film

First

released on
November 1, 1996
Produced by Baz
Luhrmann
Retains Shakespeares
original plot
Some text has been cut,
but nothing has been
added (1/3 of the dialogue)

Luhrmanns 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
(Romeos Hawaiian shirts, Tybalts leather pants, etc.)
Instead of swords, characters, carry 9mm automatics
emblazoned with brand names such as sword or rapier

Luhrmanns 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

Luhrmanns Version
Rap

music
Religion plays an important role (Juliets
statues, Christ status in Verona Beach,
Montague and Capulets guns)
May resemble an actual performance of a
Shakespeare play (camera angles)
Modern day setting dilutes the tragedy

Transformations of Romeo & Juliet:

Painting

Frederic Lord Leighton,1853-55

Sources
Tchaikovsky 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 Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet as a Ballet. San
Francisco: Mellen Research University Press, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1993.