Auditorio de Tenerife Premieres New Production of Gounod’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’
The Auditorio de Tenerife is set to premiere a new, youth-focused production of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette from March 15 to 21, featuring a collaborative set design and a cast led by Airam Hernández and Sofía Esparza.
The Auditorio de Tenerife is doubling down on its in-house productions with the premiere of Charles Gounod’s classic opera, Roméo et Juliette. The show will run in the capital’s Symphony Hall from March 15 to 21. According to the venue, this production is a major step forward for the island’s opera scene, featuring a bold new staging that reimagines the classic Shakespearean feud through the lens of generational change.
Director André Heller-Lopes has set the production in a space that blends 19th-century Parisian style with the look of an unfinished restoration. This choice highlights the tension between the crumbling traditions of the past and the young protagonists' struggle to forge their own identities. The production is set between the 1960s and 1970s and has involved a unique educational collaboration, with vocational students from Tenerife and Gran Canaria helping to build the set.
The musical side of the production will be led by conductor José Luis Gómez, featuring the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and the Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo Choir, directed by Miguel Ángel Arqued. The lead roles of Romeo and Juliet will be performed by tenor Airam Hernández and soprano Sofía Esparza. They are joined by a talented supporting cast, including Simón Orfila, Fernando Campero, Christina Campsall, Belén Elvira, Anton Keremidtchiev, Mario Bahg, Manuel Gómez Ruiz, Guillermo Montecino, Romanas Kudriašovas, and Mikhail Biryukov.
Supported by the Cabildo de Tenerife, the Canary Islands Institute of Cultural Development, and INAEM, the production aims to be as accessible as possible. The auditorium is offering ticket discounts for students, the unemployed, and large families. Additionally, the free "Opera Shuttle" service, operated by Titsa, will return to transport audience members from Adeje and Buenavista to the venue for every performance. Tickets are available now through the auditorium’s website, at the box office, or via their customer service phone line.