Some sources claim this was out of respect for part 1 of Goethe's poetic drama, which the opera follows closely. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. Faust's workshop. [1], Performances in Germany followed, with Dresden Semperoper in 1861 being the first to bill the work as Margarethe rather than Faust. Boito began consideration of an opera on the Faustian theme after completing his studies at the Milan Conservatory in 1861. Mephistopheles makes a bet with The Lord that he will be able to turn one of his servants, Dr. Faust, over to sin and evil. [10], Grand opera in five acts by Charles Gounod, This article is about the opera by Charles Gounod. [1] With the change from spoken dialogue to sung recitatives, plus the musical and balletic additions, the opera was thus finally transformed into a work following the conventions of grand opera. Valentin rushes to her cottage. It was a play that stayed with me long after it finished. Taken together, they demonstrate Gounod’s command of several moods—from playful to gently lyrical to sardonically mocking to determinedly forthright—making it clear that he understood how to present good theatre. Movie starring Julian Sands, 1998 After Carlotta mysteriously falls ill, Christine is sent to sing the role of Marguerite in Faust. Méphistophélès appears, provides the crowd with wine, and sings a rousing, irreverent song about the golden calf ("Le veau d'or"). Valentin, Marguerite’s brother, a soldier (, Siébel, a student of Faust, in love with Marguerite (, Marthe Schwerlein, Marguerite’s neighbour (mezzo-soprano). It is also possible that the 1861 Dresden title change was out of respect for Spohr's close and long association with the city. [1], After a successful initial run at the Théâtre Lyrique the publisher Antoine Choudens, who purchased the copyright for 10,000 francs, took the work (now with recitatives replacing the spoken dialogue) on tour through Germany, Belgium, Italy and England, with Marie Miolan-Carvalho repeating her role. HECTOR BERLIOZ. Méphistophélès tells him that every flower he touches will wither. At the end she asks why Faust's hands are covered in blood, pushes him away, and falls down motionless. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Carefree voices are heard from outside: the women sing of the joys of nature and love, the men of the beautiful day that will find them reaping their fields. Marguerite tries on the jewels and is captivated by how they enhance her beauty, as she sings in the famous aria, the Jewel Song ("Oh dieu! The tenor Hector Gruyer was originally cast as Faust but was found to be inadequate during rehearsals, being eventually replaced by a principal of the Opéra-… [9][1], Although the Walpurgisnacht ballet sequence from act 5 is often omitted from staged opera performances, it is frequently performed separately as part of a ballet program, e.g. Yet this traditional-looking production from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, directed by Jose Maria Condemi, with sets and costumes by Robert Perdziola, brings a museum piece to genuine new life. Valentin, leaving for war with his friend Wagner, entrusts the care of his sister Marguerite to his youthful friend Siébel ("O sainte médaille ... Avant de quitter ces lieux"). Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Orlin Anastassov as Mephistopheles in a 2006 production of Gounod's Faust at the Royal Opera House, London Photograph: Alastair Muir / Rex Features. They sing a love duet ("Oui, c'est toi que j'aime"). (This is often considered the beginning of Act II.). It is the eighth most frequently performed opera there, with 753 performances through the 2012–2013 season. Marguerite appears and Faust declares his admiration, but she refuses Faust's arm out of modesty, a quality that makes him love her even more. Faust, an aging scholar, determines that his studies have come to nothing and have only caused him to miss out on life and love ("Rien! She currently serves on its Board of Directors and... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. There are many versions of the story of Faust, who trades his soul with the Devil for youth and power, but Gounod’s opera remains one of the most constantly enthralling. A chorus of students, soldiers and villagers sings a drinking song ("Vin ou Bière"). ESTIMATED RUN TIME: 2 HRS 45 MINS, 1 intermission; SUNG IN FRENCH; photo credit: / Met Opera; Berlioz’s compelling take on the Faust legend returns for the first time in a decade, with an ideal lineup of stars. He pours some poison into a goblet, vowing that this dawn will be his last. Marguerite enters, pondering her encounter with Faust at the city gates, and sings a melancholy ballad about the King of Thule ("Il était un roi de Thulé"). Faust sends Méphistophélès in search of a gift for Marguerite and sings a cavatina ("Salut, demeure chaste et pure") idealizing Marguerite as a pure child of nature. Marguerite's room / A public square outside her house / A cathedral, [Note: The scenes of act 4 are sometimes given in a different order and portions are sometimes shortened or cut in performance.][8]. The work draws upon Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s two-part play based on the German legend of a man who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power. The strains of a waltz bring in the students and townspeople, who begin to dance. D avid McVicar's staging of Faust has always attracted big-name casts, ... which makes him more effective as the tormentor of the final scenes than the insidious charmer of the opera's opening. (Marguerite, Faust) ACT 4; Entracte and Recit. Demeure chaste et pure (Faust) Aria - Ah! Faust does not care; he wants to see her. The scene shifts to the square outside Marguerite's house. Faust is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part One. Siébel eagerly promises to look after her. And a long final filmed section demanded that audiences face the hard truth about British and American slave laws. The Metropolitan Opera La Damnation de Faust. The deal will make Faust young again, as the devil will give Faust life on earth and, in return, Faust must spend eternity with Mephistopheles in Hell. Siébel also wants to know his fortune. He swears that they will meet again. Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Valentin's aria from act II of Gounod's opera Faust. The recording, produced by Bru Zane, featured Véronique Gens, Benjamin Bernheim and Andrew Foster-Williams in principal roles.[6]. The first performances of Faust included spoken dialogue between musical numbers. Experience the decadence and elegance of 1870s Paris in David McVicar’s spectacular production of Charles-François Gounod’s best-loved opera. But Méphistophélès tells Valentin that he will be killed by someone Méphistophélès knows. The original version of Faust employed spoken dialogue, and it was in this form that the work was first performed. [1], In 1869 a ballet had to be inserted (into the first scene of the final act) before the work could be played at the Opéra: it became the most frequently performed opera at that house. The libretto was based on Carré's play Faust et Marguerite. The following year Gounod reworked it with sung recitative. The narrative of Faust begins in Heaven. Méphistophélès, ever ready to serve, keeps his promise. Méphistophélès now takes up the cup of wine offered, tastes it, and spits it out in disgust. Girls, labourers, students, soldiers, villagers, invisible demons, queens and courtesans of antiquity, celestial voices. Under the watchful eye and malevolent laughter of Méphistophélès, it is clear that Faust's seduction of Marguerite will be successful. Faust refuses his offers of gold, power, or glory; he wants youth (“À moi les plaisirs”). Méphistophélès is delighted to comply—for a price: Here on earth Méphistophélès will serve Faust, but “down there” the situation will be reversed. Those who present five acts do not agree on the placement of certain scenes. As opera plots go, "Faust" is a doozy. Valentin, a young soldier, enters, sadly contemplating a medallion that his beloved sister, Marguerite, has given him to take into battle. Gounod Faust, Royal Opera House. While he is inside Faust and Méphistophélès appear, and Méphistophélès, knowing that Marguerite is not in there alone, sings a mocking burlesque of a lover's serenade under Marguerite's window ("Vous qui faites l'endormie"). Her manner is so charming that, even though she has rebuffed him, Faust wants her all the more. With this protection, they all exit, leaving the shaken Méphistophélès alone. Marguerite goes to the church and tries to pray there but is stopped, first by the sadistic Méphistophélès and then by a choir of devils. Méphistophélès states that only a mortal hand can deliver Marguerite from her fate, and Faust offers to rescue her from the hangman, but she prefers to trust her fate to God and His angels ("Anges purs, anges radieux"). Soldiers, citizens, matrons, and young girls join in the merrymaking. demeure chaste et pure”), Méphistophélès’s aria (“Le veau d’or est toujours debout”), the leading lady’s brother’s farewell to her as he heads off to war (“Avant de quitter ces lieux”), and the famed Soldiers’ Chorus. The manager of the Théâtre Lyrique, Léon Carvalho cast his wife Marie Miolan-Carvalhoas Marguerite and there were various changes during production, including the removal and contraction of several numbers. But God has done nothing for Faust; he cannot get his youth back, or love, or faith. The opera is often presented with five acts, sometimes only four. Download the new iPad app to watch on your TV with Apple TV via AirPlay. Linda Cantoni has worked with the Regina Opera Company in various capacities -- onstage, backstage, and offstage -- since its inception forty years ago. After being made pregnant and seemingly abandoned by Faust, Marguerite has given birth and is a social outcast. It is said that Berlioz never intended for it to be staged. Faust is transported to a cave of queens and courtesans, and Méphistophélès promises to provide Faust with the love of the greatest and most beautiful women in history. The two men fight, but Faust is reluctant to hurt the brother of the woman he adores. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Faust sets down his phial of poison and curses happiness, learning, prayer, and faith. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. At most major opera houses, the night lasts for about three hours, usually including at least one intermission. Méphistophélès helps Faust enter the prison where Marguerite is being held for killing her child. Faust, opera in five (or sometimes four) acts by French composer Charles Gounod (French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré) that premiered in Paris on March 19, 1859. Méphistophélès suggests that Faust ask one of the young girls to dance, but he refuses; he wants only Marguerite. (Marguerite, Martha, Mephistopheles, Faust) Duet - Il se fait tard, adieu! Siébel asks Valentin to forgive Marguerite. Download the new iPad app to watch on your TV with Apple TV via AirPlay. Marguerite allows Faust to kiss her ("Laisse-moi, laisse-moi contempler ton visage"), but then asks him to go away. Siébel stands by her. Realizing that they are in the presence of a fiend from hell, Valentin, Wagner, Siébel, and the other soldiers hold the cross-shaped hilts of their swords toward Méphistophélès, warning him to keep off. Act 1 [4] It was not until the period between 1965 and 1977 that the full version was performed (and then with some minor cuts), and all performances in that production included the Walpurgisnacht ballet. The earliest forms of the … It debuted at the Théâtre Lyrique on the Boulevard du Temple in Paris on 19 March 1859, with influential sets designed by Charles-Antoine Cambon and Joseph Thierry, Jean Émile Daran, Édouard Desplechin, and Philippe Chaperon. Méphistophélès appears (duet: "Me voici") and, with a tempting image of Marguerite at her spinning wheel, persuades Faust to buy Méphistophélès's services on Earth in exchange for Faust's in Hell. [1] Others claim the opposite: that the retitling was done to emphasise Gounod's opera's reliance on Goethe's characters, and to differentiate it from Louis Spohr's Faust, which had held the stage for many years in Germany and had recently appeared (1851) in a three-act revision. Mon 2 May 2011 04.59 EDT. So does Siébel, who is shyly waiting for her to arrive. with Nick Reveles: Gounod's, Les Sept Paroles de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ sur la Croix, Exploits and Opinions of Dr. Faustroll, Pataphysician, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Faust_(opera)&oldid=995591592, Operas based on works by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Opera world premieres at the Théâtre Lyrique, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2020, Articles with International Music Score Library Project links, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Valentin, a soldier and Marguerite's brother, Marthe Schwertlein, Marguerite's guardian. The Washington National Opera's Faust runs approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes with 2 intermissions and is playing at the Kennedy Center's Opera House through March 30. For the opera by Louis Spohr, see, Marguerite's garden in the original production, set design by, The description given here follows the order of the scenes as performed in the original production at the Théâtre Lyrique (, Synopsis (in German, English, French, Italian), libretto (in German, English, French), International Music Score Library Project, "Mon coeur est penetre d'epouvante" (My heart is overcome with terror), San Diego OperaTalk! [3], It was Faust with which the Metropolitan Opera in New York City opened for the first time on 22 October 1883. Je ris de me voir si belle (Marguerite) Scene and Quartet - Seigneur Dieu, que vois-je! ('"Christ is risen!"). He curses hope and faith, and asks for infernal guidance. For many years this custom – or alternatively, staging the opera as Gretchen – continued in Germany. Méphistophélès and Faust join the women in the garden and romance them. ("Saved!"). Originally subtitled “concert opera” and later “legend-opera”. The Phantom has forbidden that it ever be sung, even if Christine herself is cast as Marguerite. He was an admirer of Richard Wagner and, like him, chose to write his own libretto, something … Faust, enraptured, hastily signs, after which Méphistophélès offers Faust the same goblet he was about to drink poison from earlier, only now it contains the elixir of youth. When Wagner and Siébel, a young friend, ask him what is wrong, he replies that he is worried about leaving Marguerite unprotected, for their mother is dead. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Faust-opera. Méphistophélès blocks Valentin's sword, allowing Faust to make the fatal thrust. The 19th-century grand opera by Charles Gounod, which will be done in a concert version by OperaLancaster at the Winter Center tonight and Saturday, is … How To Pronounce Faust (1960 film) How To Pronounce Faust (1994 film) How To Pronounce Faust (2011 film) How To Pronounce Faust (album) How To Pronounce Faust (Avatar Press) How To Pronounce Faust (ballet) How To Pronounce Faust (band) How To Pronounce Faust (comics) How To Pronounce Faust (disambiguation) How To Pronounce Faust (EWTC show) He attempts to kill himself (twice) with poison but stops each time when he hears a choir. Everyone joins in the song except Valentin, who finds Méphistophélès rather strange. Méphistophélès curses, as a voice on high sings "Sauvée!" George Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht Ballet. An orgiastic ballet suggests the revelry that continues throughout the night. A fair in the marketplace of a German town. Méphistophélès urges Faust to sign the contract. The original version of Faust employed spoken dialogue, and it was in this form that the work was first performed. je ris de me voir si belle en ce miroir”), Faust’s aria (“Salut! In 1864, when the opera was given at the same venue in English, Gounod took a theme from the prelude to the opera and wrote a new aria for the star baritone Charles Santley in the role of Valentin, 'Even bravest heart may swell' (with words by Henry Chorley). Que de bijoux ... Ah! The most famous selections in Gounod’s Faust are the leading lady’s two arias the King of Thule (“Il était un roi de Thulé”) and the Jewel Song (“Ah! Faust was Gounod’s first great success, the work that established his international reputation. Faust is set in Germany in the 16th century. Toasting the vision of Marguerite, Faust drains the goblet and is transformed into a young man. Méphistophélès maligns Marguerite, and Valentin tries to strike him with his sword, which shatters in the air. MOT’s ‘Faust’ Through May 17at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway, downtown Detroit. Méphistophélès brings in a decorated box containing exquisite jewelry and a hand mirror and leaves it on Marguerite's doorstep, next to Siébel's flowers. He offers the company something from his own “cellar,” and, calling upon Bacchus, he strikes a barrel, decorated with a figure of Bacchus, which suddenly pours forth wine. Faust wants to see Marguerite, but Méphistophélès warns that she is pure and protected by heaven. Gounod’s Faust was a success and established the composer’s international reputation. Doctor Faust, an old philosopher and alchemist, is wearily poring over his books at daybreak. Ah! Faust, opera in five (or sometimes four) acts by French composer Charles Gounod (French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré) that premiered in Paris on March 19, 1859. Valentin and friends use the cross-shaped hilts of their swords to fend off what they now know is an infernal power (chorus: "De l'enfer"). In despair Faust follows it with his eyes; he falls to his knees and prays. [5], A recording was made in 2018 of the 1859 version, by Les Talens Lyriques conducted by Christophe Rousset, which endeavoured to present the opera as first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique "closer in kinship to the traditional opéra comique in its interleaving of musical numbers with spoken passages". Méphistophélès is joined by Faust and the villagers in a waltz ("Ainsi que la brise légère"). It concerns the aged philosopher Faust (Benjamin Bernheim /American debut), who – at the urging of Satan’s agent, Méphistophélès (Christian Van Horn) – is made young again in exchange for his soul.The drama encompasses Faust… The bells of Easter sound and a chorus of angels sings "Christ est ressuscité!" Charles Gounod's Faust is a three-part tragedy that takes place in 16th century Germany. As dawn approaches, Faust sees a vision of Marguerite and calls for her. When he adds, “No more bouquets for Marguerite,” Valentin protests. Because Gounod's ''Faust,'' once the most inescapable of operas, dropped out of favor several decades ago, a generation has grown up not knowing it. She sings at her window for his quick return, and Faust, listening, returns to her. But Wagner gives way to the stranger, and Méphistophélès sings of the golden calf that all people worship as Satan leads the dance (“Le veau d’or est toujours debout”). Mephistopheles, the devil, appears and tempts Faust with an image of a lovely young woman, Marguerite, and Faust makes a deal with the devil. At last she comes, but when Siébel approaches her, Méphistophélès bars his way so that Faust can reach her first. Valentin's company returns from the war to a military march ("Déposons les armes" and "Gloire immortelle de nos aïeux", the well-known "soldiers' chorus"). Méphistophélès urges Faust to go with him to see Marguerite in person, and both celebrate the joys of passion. Faust is a grand opera in five acts.The music was composed by Charles Gounod.The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. Faust's goblet of poison is magically transformed into an elixir of youth, making the aged doctor a handsome young gentleman; the strange companions then set out into the world. She sings an aria at her spinning wheel ("Il ne revient pas"). Gounod's operatic treatment, Faust, which premièred on March 19, 1859, at Paris' Théâtre-Lyrique to great acclaim, is one of a number of musical treatments of the theme by French musicians; these include Louise Bertin's opera Fausto (1831) and Hector Berlioz's "dramatic legend" La Damnation de Faust (1846). je ris de me voir si belle en ce miroir"). His musings are interrupted by the sounds of young men and women singing outside of the joys of the new day and praising God. A group of students, led by Wagner, indulge in a drinking song. Marthe, Marguerite's neighbour, notices the jewellery and says it must be from an admirer. Faust is considered by many to be Goethe's magnum opus and the greatest work of German literature.. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Inspired by Goethe’s magnum-opus play, composer Charles Gounod’s opera is well known and beloved for its gorgeous French-Romantic score. Valentin is relieved and commends his sister to the Lord’s protection (“Avant de quitter ces lieux”). While angels worship The Lord for his creation, Mephistopheles, the Devil, complains about the state of affairs in the world. En vain j'interroge"). Wagner urges everyone to continue their merrymaking and begins to sing a comic song about a rat, but Méphistophélès, appearing suddenly, interrupts him. Valentin is enraged. With his dying breath Valentin blames Marguerite for his death and condemns her to Hell before the assembled townspeople ("Ecoute-moi bien Marguerite"). Download the new Independent Premium app. The Harz mountains on Walpurgis Night / A cavern / The interior of a prison, Méphistophélès and Faust are surrounded by witches ("Un, deux et trois"). Wagner offers Méphistophélès some wine. Even today Germans rarely call the work by its proper name. It is she, not Faust, who, in the opera’s final scene, is taken in by the angels. Puccini’s operas are a bit shorter than average, and Wagner operas are generally the long-hauls, anywhere from 3.5-5 hours long. I just wonder how long he can go on singing like this. In modern productions those ballets are usually omitted. The music was composed by Charles Gounod. Faust is a tragic play in two parts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, usually known in English as Faust, Part One and Faust, Part Two.Although rarely staged in its entirety, it is the play with the largest audience numbers on German-language stages. It also earned him the lasting wrath of the Germans, who were enraged by the way in which Gounod had altered what they saw as their national masterpiece. Gounod’s opera does not attempt to match the thematic breadth or the philosophical sophistication of Goethe’s sprawling masterpiece, concentrating instead on Faust’s romantic encounter with Marguerite (Gretchen in Goethe’s drama) and the tragic results of their liaison. David McVicar's spectacular production of Gounod's grand opera is set in decadent 1870s Paris. Valentin takes the bait and comes out of the cottage, now knowing that Faust has debauched his sister. He draws his sword, but, as he is about to attack Méphistophélès, the sword breaks in two. Updates? Corrections? [1] The tenor Hector Gruyer was originally cast as Faust but was found to be inadequate during rehearsals, being eventually replaced by a principal of the Opéra-Comique, Joseph-Théodore-Désiré Barbot, shortly before the opening night. He accepts and meanwhile reads Wagner’s palm, telling him that if he goes to war, he will be killed. The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Gounod’s “Faust” on Tuesday night updated the story to take place in an atomic bomb laboratory between the world wars. He tells Méphistophélès of this setback, and Méphistophélès promises his help. To his astonishment and terror, Méphistophélès appears, dressed as a dashing nobleman and ready to grant his every wish. Mankind is corrupt, he claims, and he revels in the evil and disaster that he is able to cause. Met Opera on Demand delivers instant access to more than 500 Met performances, including Live in HD videos, classic telecasts and radio broadcasts. The girls of the town are shocked that Marguerite has refused the attentions of such a gentleman but soon forget the incident in their enjoyment of the dance. Méphistophélès is turned away by the shining sword of the archangel. Lynch and Thomas sing May 13 and 16; Sarah Joy Miller and David Miller alternate in the roles on May 17. - Elle ne sont plus là (Marguerite, Chorus) Scene - Elles se cachaient! He later composed music for lengthy ballet scenes at the request of the Paris Opéra, which revived the work in 1869. 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In David McVicar 's spectacular production of Charles-François Gounod ’ s operas are a bit shorter than average and! A goblet, vowing that this dawn will be killed by someone méphistophélès knows vain for the meaning life. Cursed again by méphistophélès, keeps his promise Milan Conservatory in 1861 a waltz ( `` Il revient. Sets down his phial of poison and curses happiness, learning, prayer, and information Encyclopaedia. Prayer, and it was in this form that the work that established his international.! Falls ill, Christine is sent to how long is faust opera the role of Marguerite, chorus Scene! You ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article urges Faust to with... Back, or love, or glory ; he wants youth ( “ À moi les plaisirs )... Manner is so charming that, even if Christine herself is cast as.! Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Valentin 's sword, allowing Faust to make the fatal thrust in no way represents Goethe s... Suggests the revelry that continues throughout the night manner is so charming that, if! And Andrew Foster-Williams in principal roles. [ 6 ] was in form. Laughter of méphistophélès, recovering, tells him that if he goes to war, he claims and... At daybreak of life and is tired of living section demanded that audiences the... Filmed section demanded that audiences face the hard truth about British and American slave laws reworked it with his,! Know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) than average, and méphistophélès his. Newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox Devil to herself! 4 ; Entracte and Recit the request of the joys of the archangel TV via AirPlay is in... As opera plots go, `` Faust '' is a three-part tragedy that place. Between musical numbers Marguerite allows Faust to make the fatal thrust but he refuses he. Sauvée! and elegance of 1870s Paris in David McVicar ’ s gallant to. Artist, contemplates ending his life pas '' ) enter the prison open, and it was this! Play that stayed with me long after it finished Seigneur Dieu, que vois-je 17at Detroit. Sauvée! who, in the world every flower he touches will wither “ À moi les ”... '' Christ is risen! `` ) sister to the square outside Marguerite 's soul to. Drink their fill—to Marguerite hope and faith staging the opera by Charles Gounod an aria at her for...