Zingarelli: Giulietta E Romeo - Opera Royal Versailles (2023) [Blu-ray]

In an intrigue-filled Verona, Giulietta and her beloved Romeo struggle to live out their love in the face of conflicts between their families… Inspired by Luigi Da Porto's original 16th-century novella, Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli breathed new life into this iconic tale: from its premiere in 1715,90, this flamboyant opera seria became Napoleon I's favourite opera.

Napoleon's enthusiasm for opera was extreme. This music-loving conqueror brought to him a young Italian star, the contralto Giuseppina Grassini, and the most dazzling castrato: Girolamo Crescentini, the only singer to ever move the Emperor to tears. Invited to France from 1806 to 1812, Crescentini made the glorious evenings of the Imperial Chapel at the Tuileries, in the company of Grassini, who was appointed First Cantress to his Majesty the Emperor - and his mistress. 143 concerts of Italian soloists at Court between 1810 and 1815 attest to Napoleon's musical passion for Italian opera!

Gilles Rico chooses to set the play at the dawn of the 19th century and skilfully stages the torments of the two young heroes, torn between their family duty and the violent passion that seizes them, all underlined by Roland Fontaine's grandiose sets and Christian Lacroix's splendid costumes.

Live Opera Royal Versailles 2023

"Джульетта и Ромео" — музыкальная драма композитора Никколо Антонио Зингарелли на итальянское либретто Джузеппе Марии Фоппа по мотивам одноименной новеллы Луиджи да Порто 1530 года и "Ромео и Джульетты" Шекспира. Премьера оперы состоялась 30 января 1796 года в театре Ла Скала в Милане.