Operat in five acts,
libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré based on Faust (part 1)
by Johann W. von Goethe
Show spoken and sung in French. Subtitles available in English,
French, Spanish and Valencian.
Faust
Charles Gounod
From 18 to 27 June, 2020
Sala Principal
Youth at the price of love
The innocence of others and the soul itself: that is the essence of Faust.
The director Michel Plasson, living legend of the orchestral direction, debuts in Les Arts with Faust, one of the most emblematic operas of the French repertoire, in which the Parisian master is an absolute reference.
The events narrated in Faust happen in the territories of present-day Germany, in the 16th century, but they could be placed at at any place and time, since we deal with eternal and universal double protagonists : Good and evil. The masculine and the feminine. The young and the old. Life and death, the different and at the same time inseparable.
Creative Team
| Conductor | Stage Director | Set Designer | Costume Designer | Lighting Designer | Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Plasson | Keith Warner | Es Devlin | Julia Müer | Wolfgang Göbble | Semperoper de Dresde |
Cast
| The doctor Faust | Méphistophélès | Marguerite | Siébel |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Osborn | Alex Esposito | Ailyn Pérez | Paula Murrihy |
Synopsis
Act I
The action takes place in a city in Germany. It is night. Faust, old philosopher, meditates in his cabinet on how unsatisfactory the results of a lifetime of efforts have been. His insatiable thirst for wisdom has brought him few rewards and now his advanced age prevents him from continuing his studies. Sad and lonely, he tries to commit suicide by swallowing a poison, but stops when he hears the joyful singing of young people having fun, which once again awakens in him the desires and passions not satisfied in his youth. Desperate, he asks for the help of the evil one, who appears unexpectedly in the form of an elegant gentleman, Mephistopheles, who offers him a new way of life: renewed youth, beauty and ingenuity, in exchange for his soul. The philosopher doubts the offer, but when the devil shows him a vision of the beautiful young Margarita spinning on the wheel, Faust is taken by her and does not hesitate to sign on the scroll that Mephistopheles has presented to seal the pact. A magic potion transforms Faust into a handsome boy, after which both leave happily in search of the beautiful Margarita.
Act II
At one of the city gates, next to a tavern, students, soldiers and bourgeois have fun and drink happily. Valentín, Margarita's young brother soldier, prepares to go to war and asks his friend Siébel to protect the girl in his absence. Wagner, a student and also a friend of Valentine, encourages the party with a song. Mephistopheles appears, who interrupts the young man's song and is invited to drink with others while performing a hymn in which he praises greed and gold. The evil one makes predictions that don't feel good at all: Wagner is predicted death in the front; Siébel, a young man in love with Margarita, announces that all the flowers she touches will wilt; and to Valentin he reveals that he will be mortally wounded by someone known from his environment. Mephistopheles rejects the drink that Wagner offers him and surprises the crowd by making him handle new wine from an old barrel. When she toasts for Margarita, Valentín unsheathes the sword, but it is shattered. The other soldiers, recognizing that it is Satan, form crosses with their swords before him and he withdraws.
Meanwhile, Faust prowls around in search of Margarita. Mephistopheles tells him that she will appear shortly in the crowd. While people dance a waltz, Faust finally sees the beautiful girl and offers her arm to accompany her. Margarita demurely rejects it. Mephistopheles helps you conquer it.
Act III
Margarita's garden. Siébel leaves a bouquet of flowers at the door of her beloved's house. Faust and Mephistopheles have also approached the place, who starts looking for a gift that exceeds that of Siébel. The devil returns with a chest full of beautiful jewels, which he leaves next to Siébel's bouquet. Margarita arrives thoughtfully while singing a ballad about the king of Tule, who interrupts in every verse with allusions to the knight she has met. Seeing the flowers and the chest, exultant of joy, the girl is adorned with jewelry. Mephistopheles woos Marta, an old neighbor of Margarita, with the intention of distracting her so that Faust brings her conquest to fruition. Margarita confesses her love for the young man. However, pray to Faust to leave. The devil mocks her failure, but Margarita looks out the window and expresses again her love for Faust, who meets her in a hug. The mocking laugh of Mephistopheles echoes in the garden.
Act IV
Margarita's room. A few months have passed and Margarita expects a son of Faust, who has abandoned her. The girl only finds comfort in the words of her faithful friend Siébel, the only one who does not despise her and goes to visit her. Later he goes to church to pray for Faust and his son. Mephistopheles makes an appearance in the temple to curse and torment her. Terrified, Margarita passes out.
In the square, Valentín and his comrades have returned from the war and sing songs of glory for those missing in combat. The soldier asks Siébel about his sister, but only receives evasive responses. Puzzled, he enters the house.
Fausto, regretting having abandoned Margarita, arrives at the place with Mephistopheles, who sings a lascivious ballad addressed to the girl, from the street. Valentín leaves the house, destroyed by the dishonor of which his sister has been a victim, and asks which of the two has been the evildoer. He duel with Fausto. At a decisive moment, Mephistopheles intervenes and Faust kills Valentin accidentally. Margarita kneels before her mortally wounded brother, who curses her in her last words. The crowd asks for divine forgiveness for the deceased.
Act V
Hartz Mountains. The night of Walpurgis is celebrated, a coven in the dominions of the evil one, attended by demons, witches, souls of the dead and goblins. Mephistopheles invites Faust to be distracted and forget his beloved. In full celebration, the rejuvenated philosopher perceives an image of Margarita in the prison and asks Mephistopheles to lead him next to her.
In prison, Margarita, with lost reason, awaits the moment of her execution, according to the sentence that condemns her for killing her illegitimate son. When Faust arrives with the intention of releasing her, the unfortunate woman is glad to see her beloved and together they remember the happy days. Mephistopheles asks them to hurry, but Margarita refuses to flee with them and begs for her salvation to Heaven. While Mephistopheles takes the damned Faust with him, a choir of angels proclaims Margarita's salvation.
The action takes place in a city in Germany. It is night. Faust, old philosopher, meditates in his cabinet on how unsatisfactory the results of a lifetime of efforts have been. His insatiable thirst for wisdom has brought him few rewards and now his advanced age prevents him from continuing his studies. Sad and lonely, he tries to commit suicide by swallowing a poison, but stops when he hears the joyful singing of young people having fun, which once again awakens in him the desires and passions not satisfied in his youth. Desperate, he asks for the help of the evil one, who appears unexpectedly in the form of an elegant gentleman, Mephistopheles, who offers him a new way of life: renewed youth, beauty and ingenuity, in exchange for his soul. The philosopher doubts the offer, but when the devil shows him a vision of the beautiful young Margarita spinning on the wheel, Faust is taken by her and does not hesitate to sign on the scroll that Mephistopheles has presented to seal the pact. A magic potion transforms Faust into a handsome boy, after which both leave happily in search of the beautiful Margarita.
Act II
At one of the city gates, next to a tavern, students, soldiers and bourgeois have fun and drink happily. Valentín, Margarita's young brother soldier, prepares to go to war and asks his friend Siébel to protect the girl in his absence. Wagner, a student and also a friend of Valentine, encourages the party with a song. Mephistopheles appears, who interrupts the young man's song and is invited to drink with others while performing a hymn in which he praises greed and gold. The evil one makes predictions that don't feel good at all: Wagner is predicted death in the front; Siébel, a young man in love with Margarita, announces that all the flowers she touches will wilt; and to Valentin he reveals that he will be mortally wounded by someone known from his environment. Mephistopheles rejects the drink that Wagner offers him and surprises the crowd by making him handle new wine from an old barrel. When she toasts for Margarita, Valentín unsheathes the sword, but it is shattered. The other soldiers, recognizing that it is Satan, form crosses with their swords before him and he withdraws.
Meanwhile, Faust prowls around in search of Margarita. Mephistopheles tells him that she will appear shortly in the crowd. While people dance a waltz, Faust finally sees the beautiful girl and offers her arm to accompany her. Margarita demurely rejects it. Mephistopheles helps you conquer it.
Act III
Margarita's garden. Siébel leaves a bouquet of flowers at the door of her beloved's house. Faust and Mephistopheles have also approached the place, who starts looking for a gift that exceeds that of Siébel. The devil returns with a chest full of beautiful jewels, which he leaves next to Siébel's bouquet. Margarita arrives thoughtfully while singing a ballad about the king of Tule, who interrupts in every verse with allusions to the knight she has met. Seeing the flowers and the chest, exultant of joy, the girl is adorned with jewelry. Mephistopheles woos Marta, an old neighbor of Margarita, with the intention of distracting her so that Faust brings her conquest to fruition. Margarita confesses her love for the young man. However, pray to Faust to leave. The devil mocks her failure, but Margarita looks out the window and expresses again her love for Faust, who meets her in a hug. The mocking laugh of Mephistopheles echoes in the garden.
Act IV
Margarita's room. A few months have passed and Margarita expects a son of Faust, who has abandoned her. The girl only finds comfort in the words of her faithful friend Siébel, the only one who does not despise her and goes to visit her. Later he goes to church to pray for Faust and his son. Mephistopheles makes an appearance in the temple to curse and torment her. Terrified, Margarita passes out.
In the square, Valentín and his comrades have returned from the war and sing songs of glory for those missing in combat. The soldier asks Siébel about his sister, but only receives evasive responses. Puzzled, he enters the house.
Fausto, regretting having abandoned Margarita, arrives at the place with Mephistopheles, who sings a lascivious ballad addressed to the girl, from the street. Valentín leaves the house, destroyed by the dishonor of which his sister has been a victim, and asks which of the two has been the evildoer. He duel with Fausto. At a decisive moment, Mephistopheles intervenes and Faust kills Valentin accidentally. Margarita kneels before her mortally wounded brother, who curses her in her last words. The crowd asks for divine forgiveness for the deceased.
Act V
Hartz Mountains. The night of Walpurgis is celebrated, a coven in the dominions of the evil one, attended by demons, witches, souls of the dead and goblins. Mephistopheles invites Faust to be distracted and forget his beloved. In full celebration, the rejuvenated philosopher perceives an image of Margarita in the prison and asks Mephistopheles to lead him next to her.
In prison, Margarita, with lost reason, awaits the moment of her execution, according to the sentence that condemns her for killing her illegitimate son. When Faust arrives with the intention of releasing her, the unfortunate woman is glad to see her beloved and together they remember the happy days. Mephistopheles asks them to hurry, but Margarita refuses to flee with them and begs for her salvation to Heaven. While Mephistopheles takes the damned Faust with him, a choir of angels proclaims Margarita's salvation.
