Atlanta Opera hopes audiences will love Gounod’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’

The Atlanta Opera is certainly no stranger to love stories, and the company takes on the world’s most famous one with its latest production, Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre May 7-15.

Atlanta Opera Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun says that although the show and its music may be less familiar to American opera audiences than more frequently performed classics like “Tosca” and “Aida,” he’s certain Atlanta will fall in love.

“There are countless adaptations, but in my opinion, the greatest one is Gounod,” says Zvulun, who also directs the show. “He did something exceptional: He took a play that was written in 1594 and made a grand opera of it. He expanded it into this lush, magical world where the music is melodic, rich and completely enticing.”

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Zvulun plans a somewhat new take on the classic tale by setting it in Gounod’s time, the 19th century. The backdrop is a theater: Juliet is the daughter of a high-ranking general in the aristocratic, military Capulet family, while Romeo’s family, the Montagues, are actors. “You can see the social differences that make the star-crossed lovers unable to consummate their love,” Zvulun says. “This idea of theater and actors allows for a world that is really magical.”

The set, which will resemble the interior of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, is by designer John Conklin, who also designed for the Atlanta Opera's 2015 "Rigoletto."

Soprano Nicole Cabell, winner of the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2005, made her Atlanta Opera debut as Pamina in the 2010 production of "The Magic Flute" and will perform as Juliet.

“She’s such a wonderful character, and the music is some of the best music I’ve ever sung,” says Cabell, who adds that the role is incredibly challenging, though it’s been a regular part of her repertoire since 2005. “You have to grow. You have to go from being a child to someone who is forced to be very worldly-wise and very brave in the span of a couple hours. You have to change the color of the voice to do that, and you have to bring on those acting skills at the same time.”

Tenor Jesús Leon makes his Atlanta Opera debut and also his role debut as Romeo. He likewise says it will be an exceedingly difficult part because of the vocal range and the stamina required.

“Romeo is a role that’s not that high, it’s not like bel canto,” he says. “Romeo is more central, and when everything is more central, you need to have the middle very well in your range because the middle is actually the most difficult part in any voice to control. And it’s more tiring. That makes it very difficult. Secondly, it’s a love role. You need to keep that stamina and energy in every note.”

Both singers emphasize the need for shared chemistry in playing the intimate love scenes. “You have to get along on and off stage,” Cabell says. “You have to listen to each other and try to complement and match each other musically, dynamically and dramatically.”

“Both of us need to forget about who we are,” Leon says. “This is very important. Every word, every movement must feel real, so during the rehearsal period, we search for that, to become the character. Every word helps to give life to these characters.”

With a large chorus, acrobats, dancers, elaborate set and costumes, the production, Zvulun says, is all part of what Atlanta audiences have come to expect as the company completes its 2015-16 season and moves on to 2016-17, its largest yet. "Variety is really important," Zvulun says. "This season, we gave something to everybody. The common thing that audiences expect when they come into the opera now is high quality. This is not a title-driven company anymore."