Charles Gounod (1818–1893)

The five-act opera by Charles Gounod is an 1867 adaptation of William Shakespeare's play about the fatal consequences of Romeo's and Juliet's true love pitted against bitter family conflict -- the Montagues and Capulets in 14th-century Verona, Italy. The young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, are thwarted by the long-time hatred between their families and must keep their love affair a secret. Their duets are sublime - full of love, poetry, tenderness and passion. Gounod's ending briefly reunites show more the lovers before their death, creating one of those heart-breaking moments that define great theatre. There are family feuds and secrets galore in this opera in which the music dramatically underlines the message of the text.
While on a surface level the opera is about love, the underlying theme of Romeo and Juliet is the fight for power, which results in the death of all the young members of Montagues (except for Benvolio), Capulets and the Prince's House. The opera shows a system which imposes its beliefs on the individual, preventing him or her from reaching happiness and leaving death as the only escape. This effectively illustrates the power of the family and the cultural context to constrict and inhibit rather than to expand individuality and creativity. show less

Gilt edges and front cover embossed with text as follows: 'Souvenir of the performance at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden under the management of Sir Augustus Harris on July 4th, 1893, by command of Her Most Gracious Majesty, The Queen in honour of the marriage of their Royal Highnesses the Duke of York and Princess May of Teck'. See detail by Begging Bowl Books, Lincoln: , [Royal Command Performance] Romeo et Juliette (Souvenir of the Performance at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden July 4th show more 1893.)
Charles Gounod (composer) J Barbier & M Carre
Published by London UK, 1893 show less

very independent parts, lots of movement, up tempo. Requires skill and practice.

Ballet music from Faust
Performed by the Edison Concert Band

Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project
Department of Special Collections
Donald C. Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara