In an intrigue-filled Verona, Giulietta and her beloved Romeo struggle to live out their love in the face of conflicts between their families… Inspired by Luigi Da Porto's original 16th-century novella, Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli breathed new life into this iconic tale: from its premiere in 1796, this flamboyant opera seria became Napoleon I's favourite opera. Gilles Rico chooses to set the play at the dawn of the 19th century and skilfully stages the torments of the two young heroes, torn between their family duty and the violent passion that seizes them, all underlined by Roland Fontaine's grandiose sets and Christian Lacroix's splendid costumes.