DVD: Romeo et Juliette, Gerard Presgurvic version

[winter]

And in the continuing adventures of Beth versus actual commercially available DVDs of musicals, I've finally watched something I've had for a while - Romeo et Juliette, the Gerard Presgurvic version, as recorded in 2001 in Paris. I have to say that even with all the pop music, this is one of the most artistic musicals. The French seem to have a gift for them.


Everyone knows the story, but I have to admit this take on it is quite fresh, looking at the underlying motives behind the play. There is a madness to everyone that works very well - especially visible in the song Pouvoir by the Prince. They want power, they want things to go like they want them to, and in that mad city, they can reach for it.

The music is suprisingly good for something so pop-inspired. There's Les Rois du Monde, of course, which is the eternal power-song for boys (and which I always thought suffers from a lack of ending), but there are many others, from the opening Verone, through J'ai peur (sung by Romeo in Death's embrace), to Et voila q'elle aime (the Nurse, seeing Juliette grow up). The songs are catchy.

Some of the casting is wonderful. The Capulets are lovely - I like everyone from the Lady and Lord Capulet, through the spunky Juliette, the Nurse, the gathered crowd of youths. And Tybalt - oh, he deserved his own lament on how dysfunctional his relationships are ;) Tom Ross is love.

On the Montague side, things get more spotty. Damien Sargue handles Romeo wonderfully, but I could take or leave Gregori Bacquet's Benvolio, and Mercutio's frankly forgettable, as is Lady Montague (despite a superb makeup job). Also, Friar Laurence cannot sing, which lays flat several songs, most notably the finale.

The Prince, Frederic Charter, steals the two scenes he's in, lock, stock and barrel. And the ensemble are a wonderful group of dancers, making each move count emotionally.

The sets are symbolic, well-lit, but only there to be the background to Redha's wonderful choreography. A lot of the cast are dancers first, singers second, and that's because they have to be. Just in the ball sequence, Juliet's characterisation is masterfully done only through dance - her fondness for Tybalt, her girlishness giggling with friends, her uncertainty about Paris, then the shock of meeting Romeo. This symbolism and emphasis on emotions continues throughout, carrying us with it.

And then there is Death.

I haven't been able to find out more about Anne Mano than the fact she's English and over six feet tall. She moves like an alien, and like a Takarasienne. And she is Death, a Death in love with Romeo, handing him the knife, kissing him, then passing the knife to Juliet.

Why didn't anyone warn me?


Unfortunately, this DVD is out of print at the moment. But the good news is, enterprising people have uploaded all of it to Youtube :) Between them, "selenityrose" and "faelivrinen" have all the tracks. Some samples:

Verone (first song of the musical
)
J'ai peur (originally a Mercutio song, given to Romeo because he's the only one not noticeably shorter than Death)

C'est pas ma faute (Tybalt angst)

Comments

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Because other versions have no Death in them? :P

[winter]

Don't they? Interesting.

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Makes a change, ni? Apparently, they've jiggled an awful lot around, though. The song order and everything is all different even between Vienna and Budapest.

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

Vienna is closer to the French version in song order and such, though it's been edited a bit, too. Budapest is way different from everything else.

By the way, I've been meaning to say... It's likely that the English lyrics you got as overtitles in Budapest were the official English translation, which is generally considered to be one of the most godawful musical translations ever (well, by those who don't understand Finnish musical translations). At least according to my friend who's been to Budapest a lot, they usually use official translations whenever those exist. So really, the lyrics of the musical aren't as bad as what you saw. Even the French lyrics, though hardly the work of a poetic genius, are much better than the English ones, and as far as I can tell the Hungarian lyrics are better than the French ones.

[winter]

Btw, how do the German lyris compare? The French ones are quite decent :)

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

So-so. I liked them better when I didn't understand German so well. ;) They're rather cheesy and clichéd - but I must say I find the French ones are, too, though a few songs are quite good. The French ones are more beautiful and poetic on a whole than the German ones. The German ones aren't as bad as the English ones, though.

[winter]

I'll make a note to avoid the English translation, in that case ;)

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

Well, it may be good for a laugh. ;) I have the CD but I was never able to finish listening to it because the lyrics were too awful. Maybe I'll try again some time. It would make me appreciate the French and German ones much better again. ;)

[moe-almanthea.livejournal.com]

When I saw "Romeo et Juliette" for the forst time zi was also impressed by Death - this elegant movements and face expression! I like her still, but I think there is too much of her in the musical. She is everywhere, some of the scenes could be good enough without her. For example, her presence in the ball scene or Benvolio's song irritates me. I understand the intention of the creator but everytime I watch RetJ I get fed up with Death in the end...
I agree that Tom Ross is love :D His Tybal really needs hug ;)

[winter]

I was very reminded of Elisabeth in the Takarazuka version - Death everywhere, conducting the action.

I wouldn't mind giving his Tybalt a hug ;) That's his own hair, too.

[moe-almanthea.livejournal.com]

I guess it high time for me to watch Takarazuka version at last...I have seen only short clips on youtube, it's not the same.

So, hug Tybalt. I will let you do it because I like Romeo little more ;)

btw. I love you icon xD

[winter]

*winks* If you're passing through Warsaw things can be arranged.

I have the LJHook extension - random icons :) It likes picking the Elisabeth icons.

[moe-almanthea.livejournal.com]

Thanks for offer, actually I have recording from 1997 so I will probably watch it in the near future :)

Ha, it seems LJHook extension has good taste ;)

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the reason why nobody warned you is that Death doesn't exist in most other versions of the musical. I think it fits better with the French "spectacle musicale" style than with e.g. the Viennese or Hungarian versions which are actual musicals with drama (especially the Hungarian version). The Russian version has a Death, though he's male.

I love the musioal, but I don't really like the French version. I'm not really fond of the French style of making musicals, I like them to be real drama with actors who can act, rather than just lots of song and dance. I find the dramatic arc doesn't work too well in the French version, and I'm indifferent to the French cast with the exception of Benvolio and the Nurse who are just about the only ones who act. The French Death is cool, though, but just their whole style of doing the musical doesn't click with me and all. I much prefer the Hungarian version. Also because that musical seems to always be better when one doesn't understand the lyrics well. ;)

[winter]

I think it helps that I love ballet, and the French choreography rocks my socks :) Plus, the guys are teh pretty. That never hurts.

(Dreaming about Tybalt von Krolock, however, does. My brain!)

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

But in the other version the guys are pretty and they can act. ;) And the girls too.

(Eep. The only Tybalt I would accept as Von Krolock would be Szilveszter. Though I hope his Von Krolock wouldn't be as crazy as his Tybalt.)

[tokugawa.livejournal.com]

For me, I was introduced to my first DVD of the show of the Budapest Production and I've enjoyed that one overall.

The French one is my all time favorite though since it was my first introduction of that show but not until I've gotten the Vienna one and that one needs total love, really.

[winter]

I still have Vienna and Budapest (and Moscow) to watch :) I can't blame them for dropping Death... it's so Elisabeth-like that way, except for the fact Death doesn't sing.

Also, I burned your DVDs today, finally :) I'm sorry it took so long! I'll ship them on Monday.

[tokugawa.livejournal.com]

Oh its okay since I am very patient, ^_^!

Oh yes, I do find it almost like Elisabeth with a Death walking around too.

[winter]

And do let me know if the Ichiro dvds give you any problems :) I had to burn them to two discs, but I gave up on DVDFab and used DVD Shrink to remaster them instead, and they work on both my computer and my DVD player.

[tokugawa.livejournal.com]

Sure thing, ^_^!

[cairea.livejournal.com]

.. Les Rois du Monde appeared mysteriously on my Zen about a year and a half ago with only the song title attached to the file. I could never figure out what the hell it was, because APPARENTLY it only exists on the Zen and never got there from my hard drive.

I know now and I think I need more of this music.

[winter]

Yes, you do :) It's ridiculously catchy. My favourite songs would be Verone and On Dit Dans La Rue, but all the rest are likewise likely to invade your brain.

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

Now I have "Verone" running through my brain! Those men sure were pretty, especially Tybalt. Alas, I can't understand French at all.

[winter]

The story's the same as the Bard's. I'm sure I'll be thankful for it when watching the Hungarian version!

[meganphntmgrl.livejournal.com]

And then there is Death.

I know; I giggled like mad when I found out about her too. Plus your wording there just makes me think of The Sandman: Brief Lives and the whole part with the detailed descriptions of the other Endless, and then just "And then there is Death."

cam 2 cam

[(Anonymous)]

what a nicely done post unlike many other articles with all the spam i had to view today