No. 10: Romeo and Juliet Before Parting, Lento

The music begins with the scene from Act III, Scene 1 of the ballet, in Juliet's bedroom, where Romeo and Juliet affirm their love in the silence of the night and Romeo departs (Nos. 38 and 39). In the Adagio section (from measure 50), a dramatic melody unfolds, depicting the scene (No. 43) where Juliet, in despair after being forced by her parents to marry Paris, goes to seek Friar Laurence's help. The quiet Andante (from measure 71) that concludes the entire piece is the music for the scene where Juliet, following Friar Laurence's advice and determined to remain true to her love for Romeo, drinks the potion to fall into a death-like state to deceive those around her. Juliet's hesitation and anxiety, along with the scent of death, are fantastically depicted.