Charles Gounods opera "Faust," loosely based on the Faustian legend and the play by Goethe, was premiered in August of 1859 and remains one of the most frequently performed grand operas in the repertory. One of the more memorable melodies in Gounods score occurs in Act IV when an on-stage band marches in as Valentin and the soldiers returning from war sing the rousing Soldiers Chorus. This march, along with the marches from Wagners "Tannhauser" and Verdis "Aida," are among the most beloved of operatic marches.