About the work
Roméo et Juliette – de la Haine à l'Amour is a French musical by Gérard Presgurvic (music, lyrics, and concept), premiered in Paris in 2001. After Shakespeare's tragedy, it became one of the greatest successes of French musical theatre and was subsequently translated into numerous languages, with particular success in the German-speaking world (Vienna 2005).
Plot
In Renaissance Verona, a deadly feud rages between the rival Montague and Capulet families. Romeo and Juliet fall in love at a masked ball and marry in secret, sustained by the hope that their love can overcome the hatred. But a chain of duels, banishment, and a misdirected message leads to catastrophe: Romeo believes the seemingly dead Juliet to be dead and takes poison, whereupon Juliet too takes her life. Only the death of the lovers reconciles the warring houses.
Cultural significance
Presgurvic's setting exemplifies the French "spectacle musical," with grand pop ballads, expressive dance, and opulent staging. Songs such as Les Rois du monde and Aimer became chart hits in their own right in France. In the German-speaking world, Eastern Europe, and Asia, the work is among the most frequently performed modern musicals and gave the Shakespearean material a new, youthful, pop-cultural dimension.