Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but love is still in the air at The Dallas Opera. Their current production of Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” has captured the romance and the elegance of the Shakespearean tragedy.

From the gorgeous set pieces to charming stars, this French opera takes the stage at the Winspear with breathtaking success. Gounod’s opera, which has been hailed as a triumph since it opened in Paris in 1867, opens on the two lovers lying entwined on their grave, as the chorus chants of the hostile relationship between the Montagues and the Capulets, which has forced this fate.

TDO’s production, with sets and costumes by the Production Designer Mr. Claude Girard, fits perfectly into their season “Dangerous Desires.” Like “Don Giovanni” and “Anna Bolena” earlier this season, the aesthetics of this show are everything an opera should be: fashionable, staggering and picturesque. The balcony scene is everything you could dream it to be, with dripping cascades of ivy and Romeo climbing the lattice.

In order to keep all five acts in the opera and still retain a reasonable run time, a black curtain is dropped for several minutes as the set is changed out and the performance runs around three hours with just two intermissions. This is not as jarring as it might sound, because as soon the curtain raises the audience is whisked back to Verona.

Tenor Charles Castronovo makes his Dallas debut as Romeo, and his suave attitude and consistent vocals, make him the perfect match for Lyubov Petrova’s naïve, captivating Juliette.

Each member of the cast brings powerful talent to the stage, from the Robert Lloyd’s robust bass vocals as Frer Laurent (Friar Laurence) to Roxana Constantinescu’s stunning mezzo-soprano as Stephano.

The romantic story, gorgeous design and brilliant performers of TDO’s “Romeo & Juliet” are the perfect night at the opera.

Performances run through Feb. 27 and the opera offers student rush tickets for just $25. For more information visit, dallasopera.org.