Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique features a unique theme, the so-called idée fixe, that represents the female protagonist of the story and lends thematic unity to the five movements of this sprawling work, even as it changes in character. Berlioz’s musical genius is manifest in his ability to portray psychodrama in the music and in his extraordinarily flexible and creative approach to musical form. The stunning originality and modernity of the Symphonie fantastique made it a model for the Romantic Era.