Musical Interpretations of "Romeo & Juliet"

Hector Berlioz's "Dramatic Symphony" called "Romeo et Juliette" Op.17, (H 79) received its first performance on 24 November 1839. It has seven movements & lasts 90 minutes. Many movements were predominantly vocal so generally only the instrumental sections are played on their own.

Charles Gounod's opera "Romeo et Juliette"  (with a French libretto) was first produced on 27th April 1867. It was an instant success, giving 89 performances & well received by critics. It has four duets for the star-crossed couple.

Tchaikovsky's work on "Romeo & Juliet" was called a "Fantasy Overture" which had its premiere on 16th March 1870. It plays for about 20 minutes & purely instrumental. It is actually a symphonic poem in Sonata form with an introduction & an epilogue. The main love theme was used in many movies & TV serials.

Prokofiev's Ballet on "Romeo & Juliet" was composed in 1935 & premiered in 1938. It is more than two hours long & has 52 sections. It has 11 pages dedicated to its story & analysis in the giant exhaustive work "The Classical Music Lover's Companion to Orchestral Music" by Robert Philip.