Roméo et Juliette | Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, October 23 – November 1, 2025
World premiere production of Charles Gounod’s romantic opera based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. Presented by State Opera South Australia in co-production with Irish National Opera and West Australian Opera. The production features soprano Siobhan Stagg as Juliette and tenor Kyle Stegall as Roméo, conducted by Dane Lam and directed by Rodula Gaitanou.
takis designed the set and costumes for this new staging, creating a visual world that serves Gounod’s soaring arias and intense duets. The design addresses the opera’s shifts between the violent feud of Verona’s streets and the intimate romance of the lovers, using lighting design by Bernie Tan-Hayes to enhance the dramatic transformation from daylight conflict to moonlit garden encounters. The production runs 2 hours 40 minutes with a 20-minute interval, performed in French with English surtitles.
Gounod’s 1867 opera premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, becoming one of his most successful works alongside Faust. While Shakespeare’s play emphasizes fate and family conflict, Gounod’s adaptation focuses on the psychology of young love, with the famous “Je veux vivre” waltz capturing Juliette’s joie de vivre before tragedy unfolds. This tri-country co-production marks an important collaboration between three major Australian and Irish opera companies.
Creative Team: Composer: Charles Gounod | Librettists: Jules Barbier & Michel Carré | Director: Rodula Gaitanou | Designer: takis | Conductor: Dane Lam | Lighting: Bernie Tan-Hayes