When Gounod decided to base his latest opera on the epic poem by the Provençal writer Frédéric Mistral, he went to meet the poet and soak up the atmosphere of Mistral's native land. Gounod was so inspired by the beauty and tranquillity of the countryside that he completed most of the opera within a month. He returned to Provence two years later and once again found the stimulus he needed to write his next opera, based on Shakespeare's tragic tale of star-crossed lovers. Donald Macleod introduces highlights from both works, one quickly disappearing from the stage, the other proving to be the only immediate operatic success Gounod would have in his lifetime. Show less