“A fresh take on an old and familiar tale.”
—Bloomington Herald Times
—Bloomington Herald Times
“[Freund] is a composer thoughtful in approach and imaginative in style.”
—The Washington Post
—The Washington Post
“Profoundly powerful.”
—Bloomington Herald Times
—Bloomington Herald Times
Experience the Passion.
From its roots in Babylonian myth, wrought into a masterwork by Shakespeare’s skillful pen, the tale of two Star-Cross’d Lovers is now recast by internationally acclaimed composer, Don Freund, into a new entwinement of words, drama, and music.
In this re-invention of the classic tale, Freund reconceives the medium of music-theatre itself, avoiding many standard tropes of Broadway and opera. Influenced instead by musics as diverse as contemporary pop tunes, High Renaissance dance suites, jazz crooners, and classical art song, Freund’s powerful musical setting supports both a rare blend of diverse vocal styles and a keen attention to acting and stagecraft.
Carefully abridged from five acts to three, the seamless amalgamation of Freund’s innovative musical approach with Shakespeare’s original text demands an unprecedented approach to orchestration that virtuosically fuses the old with the new. Freund writes,
In this re-invention of the classic tale, Freund reconceives the medium of music-theatre itself, avoiding many standard tropes of Broadway and opera. Influenced instead by musics as diverse as contemporary pop tunes, High Renaissance dance suites, jazz crooners, and classical art song, Freund’s powerful musical setting supports both a rare blend of diverse vocal styles and a keen attention to acting and stagecraft.
Carefully abridged from five acts to three, the seamless amalgamation of Freund’s innovative musical approach with Shakespeare’s original text demands an unprecedented approach to orchestration that virtuosically fuses the old with the new. Freund writes,
The musical materials must be artful enough to respond to the characterizations and dramatic interactions of Shakespeare’s text, but also simple enough to allow the singing actors a naturalness that communicates with an audience on a personal, human-scaled level.
My goal has been to capture in a music-theatre work the kind of immediacy one can find only in small theatre productions with charismatic actors and ingenious stage direction. As such, the vocal writing is in a tuneful style, appropriate for young, clear voices, and priority is placed on making the language readily intelligible and dramatically compelling.
My goal has been to capture in a music-theatre work the kind of immediacy one can find only in small theatre productions with charismatic actors and ingenious stage direction. As such, the vocal writing is in a tuneful style, appropriate for young, clear voices, and priority is placed on making the language readily intelligible and dramatically compelling.
The result is a new kind of music-theatre experience, scored for 18-piece sinfonietta, in which the effulgence of Shakespeare’s poetry and the vitality of his dramatic construction take on a special resonance when song and music are worked into the tapestry.
Of Star-Cross’d Lovers’ consecutive sold-out performances, critic Peter Jacobi of the Bloomington Herald-Times writes,
Of Star-Cross’d Lovers’ consecutive sold-out performances, critic Peter Jacobi of the Bloomington Herald-Times writes,
The score holds profoundly powerful touches that seep into the play’s atmosphere…. Freund’s love for and knowledge of Shakespeare’s masterpiece is much in evidence, and that devotional combine has been wedded to the composer’s vividly creative imagination. As a result, one can enjoy masterful and memorable scenes.
A chance encounter at a masquerade amid Sarabande and Galliard.
A balcony courtship fueled by moonlight and sweeps of musical passion.
A hallowed marriage in Friar Laurence’s unadorned cell.
The Capulets’ unbridled fury at Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris.
Exhilarating swordplay—Mercutio. Tybalt. Slain.
The two lovers singing in final embrace after Romeo’s banishment.
The Nurse’s discovery of Juliet’s stark lifeless body on a bright clear morning.
And the twisted suicides that consummate the drama’s denouement.
Interested in Star-Cross’d Lovers for your organization?
Contact Don directly at dfreund@indiana.edu or (812) 332-9548 .
Watch a full-length performance of Star-Cross’d Lovers.
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Don Freund has been described as “a composer thoughtful in approach and imaginative in style” (The Washington Post), whose music is “exciting, amusing, disturbing, beautiful, and always fascinating” (Music and Musicians, London). Freund's works range from solo, chamber, and orchestral music to pieces involving live performances with electronic instruments, music for dance, and large theatre works. He is an internationally recognized composer, having received of numerous awards and commissions including two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Freund is Professor of Composition at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music.
Freund is Professor of Composition at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music.
Orchestral Score
Piano/Vocal Score
Book