Charles Mackerras teases the romantic beauty from Gounod's score, which has been widely admired since its first performance at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris, in 1867. In this 1994 recording, the youthful Roberto Alagna as Roméo and Leontina Vaduva as the unattainable Juliette lead an excellent cast in this touching portrayal of impossible love, based on Shakespeare's play.
Charles-François Gounod's musical rendition of the timeless story of Romeo and Juliet is here directed for stage by Nicolas Joel, starring Roberto Alagna and Leontina Vaduva.