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After his first encounter with Shakespeare's Hamlet, which he recognised as the supreme turning point of his life, Hector Berlioz emerged from the theatre reeling, vowing not to expose himself a second time "to the flame of Shakespeare's genius." But when he saw the playbills advertising Romeo and Juliet a few days later, he simply couldn't stay away. He bought a seat in the stalls. As he said himself: "My fate was doubly sealed." Hector Berlioz remained enraptured by Shakespeare all his life. In this programme, Donald Macleod explores this fascination, including his King Lear overture and the "dramatic symphony" Romeo and Juliet.