Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Aria: Ah! Leve-toi, soleil (tenor)

Charles Gounod (1818-1893) completed the five-act opera Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet) in 1867. With a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michael Carré, the opera tells the tragic story of Shakespeare’s play with little deviation. The work is well-known for the series of four duets sung by the main characters and the waltz song Ah! Je veux vivre as sung by the soprano lead. It premiered on April 27, 1867 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, Adolphe Deloffre conducting. Among the most popular arias in this opera, “Ah! Leve-toi, soleil” is sung by Romeo (tenor) at the beginning of the 2nd act of the opera. Instrumentation: 2.1+EH.2.2: 4.0.0.0: Timp: Hp(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Solo Tenor (not in set).