Handout - Opera Guild of Rochester

Romeo and Juliette• The Bellini version of E Capuleti E I Montecchi, the Capuletsand the Montagues, is based on the sources whichShakespeare used for his play.• The Gounod version is based closely on the Shakespeareplay.• Some of the characters have different positions in the twooperas. In the Bellini version it is Tebaldo who is elected byJuliette’s s father to be her husband, in the Gounod opera it isParis.• In Bellini’s s opera Romeo is sung by a mezzo-soprano in atrouser role, in Gounod’s s opera Romeo is a lyric tenor.