The Cleveland Opera

Romeo & Juliet

(I Capuleti e i Montecchi)

by Vincenzo Bellini

Opera Free to All

The eternal story of passionate love comes to us retold by the song and music of the Italian master Vincenzo Bellini. Staged and costumed. Approximate duration 1 hour 20 minutes.

  • Friday, November 9, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Pepper Pike
Ursuline College2550 Lander Road • Pepper Pike OH 44124
  • Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 1:00 pm in East Cleveland
East Cleveland Public Library14101 Euclid Avenue • East Cleveland OH 44112
  • Friday, November 16, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Shaker Heights
First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland3630 Fairmount Blvd. • Shaker Heights OH 44118
  • Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Dover
St. Joseph's Church613 North Tuscarawas Avenue • Dover OH 44622
  • Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 3:00 pm in Akron
The Akron-Summit County Public Library Auditorium60 South High Street • Akron OH 44326
  • Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Cleveland
Shrine Church of Saint Stanislaus3649 East 65th Street • Cleveland OH 44105
  • guarded parking

Featuring

  • Elizabeth Frey, mezzo-soprano, Romeo
  • Brian Skoog, tenor, Tebaldo
  • Bryant Bush, bass, Capellio
  • Loren Reash-Henz, baritone, Lorenzo
  • Jacek Sobieski, piano direction
  • Dorota Sobieska, stage director, soprano, Juliet
  • Wanda Sobieska, violin/viola
  • Jamie Thornburg, projection of English translation

Free and open to the public. Free-will donations gratefully accepted.

About

The Cleveland Opera presents the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, a chamber production based on the magnificent opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini.

This timeless, tragic tale of the feud between two families, the Capulets and the Montagues begins with a great love between Romeo and Juliet. Capellio, Juliet's father and leader of the Capuleti, had already betrothed his daughter to Tebaldo. To make the situation more complicated, while in battle, Romeo had inadvertently killed Juliet's brother. Romeo pleads for peace between two families. Alas, Capellio and Tebaldo want revenge. With the help of Juliet's uncle, Lorenzo, the lovers concoct a plan to meet and escape together. But a wicked turn of events brings a tragic ending.

The setting of the opera is Italian Renaissance. The opera will feature five soloists, acting in splendid costumes on symbolically set stage: Elizabeth Frey as Romeo, Brian Skoog as Tebaldo, Bryant Bush as Capellio, and Loren Reash-Henz as Lorenzo. All three graduated with master's degrees in voice from CIM. Loren Reash-Henz is making his debut with The Cleveland Opera as Lorenzo. All singers have professional careers, while Dorota Sobieska, Juliet, specializes specifically in Bellini opera. She sang six Bellini heroines and will provide stage directions for the show.

The opera will be sung in Italian with English translation projected above the stage during the performance for complete understanding of action. Jacek Sobieski will provide piano direction.

The expected duration is 1 hour 20 minutes.