Romeo and Juliet

The libretto for Gounod's Roméo et Juliette broadly follows the plot of Shakespeare's original play. The composer's correspondence indicates plans for the opera as early as 1864, and he started composing in 1965. The work's premiere immediately brought its creators enormous acclaim. The Paris premiere was quickly followed by one in London, and not long afterwards it was being staged in other major European cities, and has remained in the permanent repertoires of the world's opera houses ever since. As part of the Shakespeare Season, the five-act opera is being performed in concert format.