For about eighty years following its premiere in 1859, Gounod’s Faust was the most performed opera on the planet – so much so that the Metropolitan Opera in New York became known as the ‘Faustspielhaus’. Post-war audiences however turned against the work, regarding it at best as a museum piece and at worst, as an example of nineteenth century kitsch. Recently however, Faust has been re-evaluated and modern audiences, appreciative of its magnificent tunes and superb dramatic appeal, have once again fallen under its spell. This 1951 recording captures Eleanor Steber, Eugene Conley and Cesare Siepi in superb voice as they recreate their roles from the beginning of the Bing era at the Met. Bonus items taken from Mireille and Roméo et Juliette give further examples of Gounod’s passionate lyricism.