With its four duets and such unforgettable arias as “Ah! Lève-toi soleil” and “Je veux vivre”, Gounod's opera is certainly the one that best depicts the procrastination of the lovers of Verona. The Verona Arena Festival traditionally ends with performances of the French opera.

ROMEO ET JULIETTE, ONE OF GOUNOD'S MOST COMPLETE WORKS

Premiered in Paris in 1867, this five-act opera is inspired by Shakespeare's famous play, about two young men madly in love, but belonging respectively to two rival families who could never consent to this union. Juliet's aria, Je veux vivre, is one of the best-known operatic passages of the nineteenth century.

STORY

AN IMPOSSIBLE ROMANCE

Set in Verona during the Renaissance, the opera features two princely families, the Capulets and the Montagues, whose rivalry results in bloody clashes throughout the city. However, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet, fall in love and secretly marry. The tragedy ends with the death of the young lovers, each committing suicide to join the other in death.