Romeo and Juliet (1880 version), TH 42

First composed in 1869, Tchaikovsky’s popular overture-fantasia was premiered in Moscow on March 16, 1870 with the Russian Musical Society under the baton of Nikolay Rubinstein. The composer expanded the work later that year, which was the first version published (1871, Berlin) and this second version was given in St. Petersburg at that city’s branch of the RMS under Eduard Napravnik. Still not quite satisfied, Tchaikovsky revised the work again in 1880, the German publisher issuing the final version the following year. This is the standard version known and heard in concerts worldwide today. Despite this, the final version’s first performance wasn’t even given in Russia proper, but in Tbilisi, Georgia on March 1, 1886, conducted by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. The newly engraved study score offered here is a reduced-format reissue of the edition prepared in 2012 by Clark McAlister using the pseudonym Howard K. Wolf. Serenissima is proud to make Dr. McAlister’s entire catalogue of editions and orchestrations available, including the large conductor score and orchestra parts.