You might say that Europe’s most famous lovers were pioneers of dual citizenship: While the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet plays out in Verona, it is linked above all with the name of an English dramatist, William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s “lamentable tragedy” was written in the 1590s and may well be his best-loved play next to “Hamlet.” It is also regarded as the ultimate version of the Romeo and Juliet legend. Adaptations and operatic versions abound, from such musical reworkings as Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” to the pop-cultural take shown in Baz Luhrmann’s film starring Leonardo di Caprio. This tireless fascination clearly results from the fact that Shakespeare concentrates entirely on two angles: on the one hand, he focuses on the passionate bond uniting Romeo and Juliet, while, on the other, he depicts the unfortunate circumstances beyond their control—namely, the ancient feud between their two families.

Omitted are such factors as political intrigues, psychological complications, or moral conflicts between the protagonists’ desires and their sense of a higher duty. “Romeo and Juliet” is a love story, pure and simple. The hero and heroine are young, beautiful, and noble; they meet each other, instantly fall in love, and would live together happily ever after—were it not for the overheated rivalry between the hostile noble clans of Montagues versus Capulets, to which the young lovers become tragic victims. For, despite all their attempts to outwit the situation—through their secret marriage and Juliet’s fake death—the play famously ends with the lovers’ double suicide: They are unable to prevail against the obstacles imposed by a society given to hatred and intolerance.

The intensity of feeling in Shakespeare’s play has made it especially appealing to composers, for it offers the opportunity to express a wide spectrum of emotions. And the success of musical versions has often been enhanced by the enormous popularity of this love story, with its tragic denouement—another positive side effect.

For this year dedicated to “Eros,” two outstanding compositions are on Lucerne’s program. Tchaikovsky’s “Fantasie-Overture” of 1869 will be performed on August 17 in an unusual arrangement for the brass ensemble of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA.  The musicians, who include renowned trumpet player Reinhold Friedrich, can then put their virtuosity further to the test as they perform an arrangement of Prokofiev’s ballet music. Then, on September 9, Esa-Pekka Salonen and “his” Philharmonia Orchestra will perform this most-famous musical adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet tale in its original orchestral form.