French composer Charles Gounod was deeply religious and even he did not decide for a clerical career his strong belief dominated his life. His surviving opus consists of many sacred works but also 12 operas of which only two gained world-wide popularity, Faust and Roméo et Juliette. They are good examples of the French Opéra Lyrique, of which Charles Gounod is a leading representative. © Wiener Staatsoper GmbH / Michael Pöhn © Wiener Staatsoper...

After Los Angeles and Valencia, this production has arrived at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna's third opera house having a long impressive history and tradition. Its origin is closely linked to the impressario Emanuel Schikaneder, Mozart's libretist for The Magic flute. In recent years, it has been focussing on presenting cutting edge directors and interesting productions. Verdi's I due Foscari followed on the success of his Ernani, was first presented in 1844, and is...