 When Gounod's Shakespeare adaptation, the opera "Roméo et Juliette", appeared at the Théâtre Lyrique in 1867, it provided additional impetus for Thomas to finish working on his own adaptation of "Hamlet".According to accounts in the press, it was that same year, at his publisher Heugel's office in Paris, that Thomas met the Swedish soprano Christine Nilsson, who had just been engaged at the Opéra.Thomas finally consented to the scheduling of the premiere.