BLOG: Season in Focus: Romeo and Juliet 

November 2024 will mark the fourth time in its 62-year history that Minnesota Opera has staged Charles Gounod’s masterpiece of French grand opera, Romeo and Juliet. One of the most famous love stories ever told, the tragic tale of two young lovers first appeared on the Ordway stage during the 1989-1990 season and most recently in 2016. That adaptation, stage directed by Matthew Ozawa, was noted for its minimalistic yet evocative design that featured visual elements such as huge roses and swords hanging behind the singers. Lydia Lunning of Twin Cities Arts Reader noted how this choice highlighted “the conflict between the idealism of young love and the reality of worldly violence.” 

In 2019, Cincinnati Opera re-staged Romeo and Juliet after coming onboard as a co-producer, hiring Ozawa and his design team to expand upon their concept by adding multiple scenic elements throughout the show while remaining committed to the understated elegance that drew audiences to the first iteration. This resulted in the richer and even more immersive version of the production that has become a highly sought-after rental production by opera companies throughout the United States. 

The development process of Ozawa’s Romeo and Juliet serves as an excellent example of MN Opera’s commitment to both the present and future of the art form. Whether it is by reimagining core pieces of the inherited repertoire in ways that are both fresh and respectful of their origins, providing invaluable training and stage experience to the next generation of singers through the Resident Artist Program, or shepherding in the classics of tomorrow through the New Works Initiative, MN Opera remains dedicated to building a sustainable future for opera in the Twin Cities. 

Join us for Romeo and Juliet, on stage at the Ordway November 2-10!