  We employ a generalized variational principle to improve the stability,
reliability, and precision of fully excited-state-specific complete active
space self-consistent field theory. Compared to previous approaches that
similarly seek to tailor this ansatz's orbitals and configuration interaction
expansion for an individual excited state, we find the present approach to be
more resistant to root flipping and better at achieving tight convergence to an
energy stationary point. Unlike state-averaging, this approach allows orbital
shapes to be optimal for individual excited states, which is especially
important for charge transfer states and some doubly excited states. We
demonstrate the convergence and state-targeting abilities of this method in
LiH, ozone, and MgO, showing in the latter that it is capable of finding three
excited state energy stationary points that no previous method has been able to
locate.

Chemical Physics;Strongly Correlated Electrons