[[Listen]]
The voices mount higher and higher, Marguerite's soaring to a splendid climax. She dies.
"Condemned!" cries Méphistophélès.
"Saved," chant ethereal voices.
The rear wall of the prison opens. Angels are seen bearing Marguerite heavenward. Faust falls on his knees in prayer. Méphistophélès turns away, "barred by the shining sword of an archangel."
During the ten years that elapsed between the productions at the Théâtre Lyrique and the Grand Opéra, "Faust" had only thirty-seven performances. Within eight years (1887) after it was introduced to the Grand Opéra, it had 1000 performances there. From 1901-1910 it was given nearly 3000 times in Germany. After the score had been declined by several publishers, it was brought out by Choudens, who paid Gounod 10,000 francs ($2000) for it, and made a fortune out of the venture. For the English rights the composer is said to have received only £40 ($200) and then only upon the insistence of Chorley, the author of the English version.
ROMÉO ET JULIETTE
ROMEO AND JULIET
Opera in five acts, by Gounod; words by Barbier and Carré, after the tragedy by Shakespeare. Produced Paris, Théâtre Lyrique, April 27, 1867; January, 1873, taken over by the Opéra Comique; Grand Opéra, November 28, 1888. London, Covent Garden, in Italian, July 11, 1867. New York, Academy of Music, November 15, 1867, with Minnie Hauck as Juliet; Metropolitan Opera House, December 14, 1891, with Eames (Juliet), Jean de Reszke (Romeo), Édouard de Reszke (Friar Lawrence). Chicago, December 15, 1916, with Muratore as Romeo and Galli-Curci as Juliet.
Characters
| The Duke of Verona | Bass |
| Count Paris | Baritone |
| Count Capulet | Bass |
| Juliet, his daughter | Soprano |
| Gertrude, her nurse | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Tybalt, Capulet's nephew | Tenor |
| Romeo, a Montague | Tenor |
| Mercutio | Baritone |
| Benvolio, Romeo's page | Soprano |
| Gregory, a Capulet retainer | Baritone |
| Friar Lawrence | Bass |