Show: Romeo and Juliet
Composer: Conrad Askland
Company: META Performing Arts
Premiere: January 2015
Theater: Historic Lincoln Theater
I used only Shakespeare’s original RJ text, in reduced form, and set it to music. To my knowledge this has never been done successfully in over 400 years since Romeo and Juliet first premiered as a straight play. I scored the premiere run for 2 keyboards, bass, guitars, drums, oboe, clarinet/bass clarinet, flute/piccolo/recorder, trombone and horn.
Review by Christopher Key said:
“Spectacular”
“Well worth the drive”
“a truly revolutionary work”
“brilliantly bawdy”
“terrific orchestra”
“Askland’s music defies labeling and we are all richer for that”
Has anyone ever put to full English text to music before like this, I mean with the full orchestra and everything.
This is amazing that you were able to keep the bard’s original text intact. Do you think this show will come to New York soon?