Romeo et Juliette July 24 and 26 at Merrill Auditorium

PORTLAND, Maine ’Äì PORTopera will present Charles Gounod's Romˆ©o et Juliette at Portland's Merrill Auditorium on Thursday, July 24 and Saturday, July 26, under the direction of Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic and Stage Director, with guest conductor Israel Gursky. Tickets for this romantic opera, based on Shakespeare's classic tragic drama Romeo and Juliet, are on sale now through PortTix, 207-842-0800. For more information about Romˆ©o et Juliette visit www.portopera.org. Tickets are available online at www.porttix.com, by phone, 207-842-0800 or in person at the 20 Myrtle St. box office in Portland, Maine between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. About PORTopera: PORTopera is Maine's only opera company performing fully staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed singers. PORTopera will be celebrating its 14th season in 2008 with two performances of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in late July.