Charles Francois Gounod was born in Paris on June 17, 1818. His father, Francois, who died when Gounod was only four, was a talented painter who took classes at the French Academy in Rome and later worked as a court artist for the King. His mother, Victoire, was an accomplished pianist and after her husband's death, gave music lessons to support Charles and his older brother Urbain.

Gounod inherited his parents' talents in both visual art and music and began his artistic journey very young in life. At seven years old, he could read music with impeccable accuracy and ease.  But wanting her son to focus on academics, Victorie enrolled Charles in boarding school. To applaud his superior work, she took him to Rossini's Otello, which is accredited for further cultivating his love music.

His mother allowed him to enter the Paris Conservatoire in 1936 where he studied counterpoint under the instruction of Jacques Halevy and was encouraged by his composition teacher, Henry Barton to study Mozart. It was here Gounod was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1939, based on his cantata, Fernand. He left at the age of twenty to study in Rome for two years. He enjoyed his time spent there and recommended other musicians to study there and experience the variety of expression.

Gounod returned to Paris in 1843 and accepted a position at the Chapel for Foreign Missions as the music director and church organist. He became very religious during his employment there and in 1847, entered the Caremlite Monestary. Only five months later, he realized he was not suited for the profession and felt compelled to the theater.

He stopped writing sacred music and attempted to write opera. He worked as a protege to the singer Pauline Viardot, who encouraged him to compose the opera Sappho, with her in-mind for the lead role. The work debuted in 1850, but closed after only seven performances.

In 1852, he married Anna Zimmerman, the daughter of Pierre Zimmerman, the famous pianist and Gounod's former teacher from the Conservatoire. As a wedding gift, Gounod was given the position as director of the Orphean Theatre, and appointed by the Communal Schools of the city of Paris as the Superintendent of Instruction in singing. Gounod relied on these positions for eight years while he continued to further his career in operatic composition.

After several unsuccessful productions including his second opera, Ulysse, Gounod returned to an idea he had first considered in Paris. After seeing Michel Carre's play, Faust et Marguerite, Gounod realized how he could use his ideas from twenty years earlier and produce an opera. In 1856 he began to write Faust after meeting Julius Barer who had written a plot for the production exactly as Gounod had imagined.

While writing Faust, Gounod debuted the highly acclaimed comic opera, Le Medecin malgre luie in 1858. The opera's success opened the door for the premiere production of Faust at the Theatre Lyrique in 1859. It was performed 57 times during the first season and then not again in Paris until 1862. The opera was known internationally and a personal favorite of Queen Victoria's.

After his success and establishing a name for himself, Gounod resigned from his positions and focused on his writing. In total, Gounod produced 13 operas, although none received the same acclaim as Faust. The only work that was close by European standards was Romeo et Julliette in 1867.

At the onset of the Franco-Prussian war, Gounod and his family moved to England. It was here he met Georgina Weldon, a music connoisseur who loved his works and became an immediate friend and adviser. During a brief separation from his wife, Gounod moved in with Georgina and her husband, Captain George Weldon. A scandal ensued over financial matters when Gounod reconciled with his wife and Georgina successfully sued him and forced him to leave England.

Gounod returned to Paris and continued his life composing. In 1881, he wrote his last opera, Le tribut de Zamora which was unsuccessful and his last sacred piece, Requiem for his deceased grandson. He died in a coma in Paris on October 18, 1893.