Romeo and Juliet

2022年12月10日

シェイクスピア原作の映画化。イタリア、ルネッサンス期の1450年頃、春まだ浅きヴェロナの町。二代名門として知られるモンタギュー家とキャプレット家は、仇敵視しあう仲で日々血で血を洗う争いが絶えなかった。ある日、舞踏会で出会ったロミオとジュリエットは、一目で魅かれ合う。だがお互いの素性を知って嘆き合う二人。しかしバルコニーで恋の苦悩を訴えているジュリエットを見かけたロミオは、いたたまれず熱烈な愛の告白をし、二人は結婚を誓い合う。翌日結婚式を挙げての帰り道、口論を止めようとしたロミオは親友が殺されたことに逆上し、相手を刺してしまう・・・。キャプレット家の舞踏会における二人の出会いのシーンの初々しさ、ロミオとティボルトの決闘シーンの迫力、悲劇をクライマックスに導く墓所の場面の素晴らしさ等々、シェイクスピアの原作を知る人には勿論の事、万人の胸打つ感動の名作である。当時15歳だったオリヴィア・ハッセーが実にかわいらしくジュリエットを演じているのも見所。(English) The film adaptation of Shakespeare's original. It is 1450 during the Renaissance in Italy, in the town of Verona in the early spring. The Montague and Capulet families, known as the two most prestigious families in two generations, are enemies, and bloodshed is a daily struggle. One day, Romeo and Juliet meet at a ball and are instantly attracted to each other. However, when they learn of each other's true identity, the two grieve each other. However, when Romeo sees Juliet on the balcony complaining of the anguish of love, he is compelled to make a passionate confession of love, and the two vow to marry each other. On the way home from the wedding the next day, Romeo tries to stop an argument, but his best friend is killed, and he stabs the other man... The first meeting between Romeo and Tybalt at the Capulet's ball, the decisive duel between Romeo and Tybalt, and the cemetery scene that brings the tragedy to a climax make this a moving masterpiece that will touch the hearts of all, not to mention those who know Shakespeare's original work. The 15-year-old Olivia Hussey's lovely performance as Juliet is also a highlight of the film.

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families.

It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

Synopsis

The play, set in Verona, Italy, begins with a street brawl between Montague and Capulet servants who, like the masters they serve, are sworn, enemies.

Prince Escalus of Verona intervenes and declares that further breach of the peace will be punishable by death.

Later, Count Paris talks to Capulet about marrying his daughter Juliet, but Capulet asks Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a planned Capulet ball.

Lady Capulet and Juliet's Nurse try to persuade Juliet to accept Paris's courtship.

Meanwhile, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo, Montague's son, about Romeo's recent depression.

Benvolio discovers that it stems from unrequited infatuation for a girl named Rosaline, one of Capulet's nieces.

Persuaded by Benvolio and Mercutio, Romeo attends the ball at the Capulet house, hoping to meet Rosaline.

However, Romeo instead meets and falls in love with Juliet.

Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, is enraged at Romeo for sneaking into the ball but is only stopped from killing Romeo by Juliet's father, who does not wish to shed blood in his house.

After the ball, in what is now famously known as the "balcony scene," Romeo sneaks into the Capulet orchard.

He overhears Juliet at her window vowing her love for him despite her family's hatred of the Montagues.

Romeo makes himself known to her, and they agree to be married. With the help of Friar Laurence, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are secretly married the next day.

Tybalt, meanwhile, still incensed that Romeo had sneaked into the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel.

Romeo, now considering Tybalt his relative, refuses to fight.

Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence and Romeo's "vile submission" and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf.

Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight and declares a curse upon both households before he dies.

("A plague o' both your houses!")

Grief-stricken and racked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt.

Benvolio argues that Romeo has justly executed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio.

Having lost a relative in the warring families' feud, the Prince exiles Romeo from Verona under penalty of death if he ever returns.

Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consummate their marriage.

10)

Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride."

When she pleads for the delayed marriage, her mother rejects her.

11)

Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a potion that will put her into a deathlike coma or catalepsy for "two and forty hours."

The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan so he can rejoin her when she awakens.

On the night before the wedding, she takes the drug and, when discovered dead, she is laid in the family crypt.

12)

The messenger, however, does not reach Romeo, and instead, Romeo learns of Juliet's apparent death from his servant, Balthasar.

Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt.

13)

He encounters Paris, who has come to mourn Juliet privately.

Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him, and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris.

Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison.

14)

Juliet then awakens and, discovering that Romeo is dead, stabs herself with his dagger and joins him in death.

The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead.

15)

Friar Laurence recounts the story of the two "star-crossed lovers," fulfilling the curse that Mercutio swore.

The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud.

The play ends with the Prince's elegy for the lovers: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

-Add

Preceded by a dance, the ballad "WHAT IS A YOUTH" comes from the film "Romeo & Juliet" by Franco Zeffirelli [1968].

This is the filmed version I prefer of Shakespeare's play. The two actors are gracefully fresh: Olivia Hussey (as Juliet) is in her spring, and Leonard Whiting (as Romeo) is too. Unfortunately, Olivia is almost out of time.

The tune "What is a Youth" was composed by Nino Rota for Eugene Walter's lyrics. Glen Weston sang the song.

After Morisca dances to some medieval dance tunes, the ballad "What Is A Youth" is in a "neo-troubadour" style: a cry of love in a minor scale, a scene with few lyrics.

The song sums up the drama: the inescapable attraction of the two young kids.

How a wildfire hugs Juliet and Romeo, how it draws them to each other and leads them to death.

The words of love are sweeter than honey, but whose cry, in the end, is bitterly sad.

Their love disturbs too much the rules of the family clans in Verona.

The song's popularity will not wane; Ukrainian singer Konstantin Udovenko will brilliantly sing it.

What is a youth? Impetuous fire

What is a maid? Ice and desire. The world wags on.

A rose will bloom. It then will fade

So does a youth So does the fairest maid.

Comes a time when one sweet smile

Has its season for a while

Then love's in love with me.

Some may think only to marry

Others will tease and tarry

Mine is the very best parry

Cupid he rules us all,

Caper the caper; sing me the song

Death will come soon to hush us along

Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall

Love is a task, and it never will pall

Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall

Cupid he rules us all.

A rose will bloom. It then will fade

So does a youth

So does the fairest maid.

Romeo y Julieta (op. 64) (en ruso: Ромео и Джульетта) es un ballet de Serguéi Prokófiev basado en la obra de William Shakespeare Romeo y Julieta. La música del ballet le sirvió de base a Prokófiev para componer tres suites orquestales y diversas obras para piano.