Glyndebourne opens its season and marks the 150th anniversary of berliozs death with a new production of the damnation of faust, directed by. With marcello giordani, susan graham, john relyea, patrick carfizzi. It was first performed at the operacomique in paris on 6 december 1846. Marlowes rendition of the legend was popular in england and germany until the midseventeenth century, but eventually the faust story lost much of its appeal. But berliozs recasting of the faust legend allows a maverick creativity like gilliams the freedom to flourish, refracting the story through german history and culture from the 19th century to. It had been written the night before i left for hungary. Second, it feels distant from our lived experience. Damnation definition, the act of damning or the state of being damned. Called a dramatic legend, it is presented as a series of tableaux vivants whose staging remains difficult.
Feb 18, 2020 the damnation of faust is among music director stephane deneves favorite works. Faust struggles with the decision, but the devil tempts him further by showing him a vision of a beautiful young maiden, marguerite. Based in part on the life story of nietzsche, the novel explores how nihilism and primitivism usurp bourgeois culture. The faust legend has been the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and. It, like faust, has turned away from god and personal salvation, to ambitiously take its chances in the material world, dependent upon science and technology to achieve salvation for allin time. It is said that berlioz never intended for it to be staged. He brings a dream cast to tell berliozs story of love, death and the devil. From selling your soul to the devil to finding salvation sir simon rattle ventures through berliozs tempestuous oratorio, the damnation of faust. I consider this to be one of my best works, hector berlioz wrote of the damnation of faust.
Memoirs, second visit to germany, third letter to m. The story is told in 8 episodic scenes, in cirque du soleil style. After a prelude set in the theater, where a production of faust is to be staged, as well as a prologue in heaven, where the devil mephistopheles declares to the lord his intention of tempting the great scholar heinrich faust to damnation, the play opens on a narrow, highvaulted study, where faust is sitting restlessly. This popular poem was used by many composers to set to music, including wagner, schumann, and liszt. Berlioz hungarian march the damnation of faust youtube. He has studied and mastered all fields of human knowledge, from law to. The damnation of faustus in christopher marlowes tragical history of dr. The damnation of faust is a relatively weak entry among the story films of georges melies, whose oeuvre includes such early cinema classics as bluebeard 1901, a trip to the moon 1902, the kingdom of the fairies 1903 and the impossible voyage 1904. Hector berlioz faust is a dramatic legend that draws freely on goethes play. Faust was born in knittlingen, wurttemberg, around the year 1480, was educated at the university of cracow in poland, and died around 1540 in staufen im breisgau. Once a righteous scholar, faust allows himself to be corrupted by the devil, and drags the innocent around him into desperation and death. The erudite faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. The route to the depths of perdition a dazzingly sensational new effect.
Faust, hero of one of the most durable legends in western folklore and literature, the story of a german necromancer or astrologer who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. The infinite dome of heaven rains down a thousand bright lights. Faust is damned in the early sixteenth century stories, but those were superstitious and constrained times. Nov, 2015 faust times the dallas symphony orchestra and chorus, with help from guest soloists and conductor jacques lacombe, offer up a devilishly good the damnation of faust. Returning to his study, he is about to commit suicide when he is halted by. Hector berlioz the damnation of faust hungarian march. Humbert ferrand among the works on the programme of a concert at pesth in february 1846 was the march which now serves as the finale of part i of my legend of faust. Faust s tale serves as a warning for those seeking to fulfill their earthly desires without the help of god.
The damnation of faustus in marlowes tragical history. The devil tells faust that he can have it, but only if he forfeits his soul. Saturday afternoon saw the return of berliozs damnation of faust to the met, not seen there since 2009. The conducting is very efficient, with few if any of the tempos questionable. About to end his life, faust meets mephistopheles, who offers him the fountain elixir. Read the libretto for berliozs the damnation of faust french english translation look out for. Faust, also called faustus, or doctor faustus, hero of one of the most durable legends in western folklore and literature, the story of a german necromancer or astrologer who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. So the faust story appears to also be the story of western civilization, and its. At the metropolitan opera, a world morphs on video the. Guest singer michael spyres talked about the story of the damnation of faust. Those who enjoy a good pactwiththedevil story now and again wont want to miss the most famous of them all, goethes faust. Faust is the protagonist of a classic german legend, based on the historical johann georg faust c. Mephistopheles and his spirits lull the scholar into a dream state, showing him a vision of a beautiful young woman marguerite.
The listener here again recognizes the stunning modernism of berlioz and finds himself immersed in the unique soundworld of the composers imagination. However you define it, the piece is a tourdeforce for the chorus. The damnation of faust heads to powell hall march 14. Boston symphony orchestra, charles munch, hector berlioz. Hector berlioz the damnation of faust hungarian march youtube. Faust finds himself at the roses club, a brothel with narcotic flowers as its theme. Faust makes a deal with the devil, and the devil turns the poison into a potion of youth. Berliozs the damnation of faust is a work born of the composers obsession with goethes legendary tale. True salvation or damnation is given by god after death, and no human can know gods will, though many think they can bend it.
An army marches past in the distance hungarian march. Performances of berlioz s the damnation of faust are a rarity due to its vast staging and technical requirements. The damnation of faust, dramatic legend, as berlioz calls it, was written in 1846. Conceiving an artistically defining experience that tells the story of faust as an opera might seem overwhelming and too intense of an idea. The composer projected himself into the moral suffering of this character who went on to inspire so many other musicians. Its loosely based on the threepart tragedy, faust by goethe and premiered on march 19, 1859, at the theatre lyrique in paris, france. The story has also inspired musical works, including the operas the damnation of faust 1846 by hector berlioz and faust 1859 by charles gounod.
Though the pieces spirit is one of unrelenting melancholy, it features much musical diversity and is kaleidoscopic, even cinematic, in its vision. It was first performed at the operacomique in paris on 6december 1846. The met opera cuts back on screen time for berlioz next. The damnation of faust, dramatic legend in four parts, op. He sings of his inability to connect to the natural world disconnected from his fellow men. Faust, opera in five or sometimes four acts by french composer charles gounod french libretto by jules barbier and michel carre that premiered in paris on march 19, 1859. Tenor daniel clark smith gives us an idea of how we express the text and story line without sets or costumes. Especially when one considers how this story was composed and experienced by berlioz in concert form and that portraying fausts journey to hell, could be hell itself.
Faust tries to convince the girl that he also believes and worships god, but she does not quite believe him. But in selling his soul, he gained eternal damnation. Berliozs the damnation of faust is based on goethes. To acquire greater wisdom, power, and pleasure, faust turned away from god and made a pact with the devil, mephistopheles. Because of logistical considerations it was mounted in concert form on the stage rather. Msos performance will feature four soloists, over 160 chorus members and a 90 piece orchestra. Gretchen is a faithful christian, and she knows that neither she nor her mother could accept a man that does not believe the same. Faust the legend of faust from the renaissance times. Faust agrees and as soon as this happens, he is thrust in hell an apocalypse where blood flows, skeletons dance and the lakes are set on fire, while marguerite, the naive soul which love lead astray, is welcomed in heaven. French composer hector berlioz puts a unique spin on the familiar tale of faust, the scholarscientist who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for love and knowledge. Faust summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. This is one of many musical works in 19th century that was based on goethes faust. Contexts faust although the most interesting parts of the faust story are wholly legendary, there was in fact a historical johann faust around whom the legends formed. Damnation of faust is devilishly cool chicago tribune.
The chorus, for what they lack in presence, make up for it by excellent singing. Find the metropolitan opera on facebook opens new window find the metropolitan opera on twitter opens new window find the metropolitan opera on instagram opens new window. Berliozs musical version of the damnation of faust. Hector berlioz 180369 the damnation of faust, dramatic legend, as berlioz calls it, was written in 1846. Finally, the faustbook ends with faustus awaiting the final hour of his life before he is carried off to eternal damnation by the agents of the underworld. Hearing peasants sing and dance, he realizes that their simple happiness is something he will never experience. Faust returns to gretchen, and one night in her room, they discuss his feelings on religion. Charles gounods faust is a threepart tragedy that takes place in 16th century germany. Hector berlioz 18031869 the damnation of faust part one introduction scene i the plains of hungary. Like many of berliozs major works, the damnation of fausts structure defies routine categorization. Elina garanca, michael spyres, and ildar abdrazakov, with the met chorus in a concert.
It is divided into four parts, the first containing three, the second four, the third six, and the fourth five scenes, the last concluding with an epilogue and the apotheosis of marguerite. The damnation of faust arts and education council of st. A listeners guide to berliozs the damnation of faust. Marlowes rendition of the legend was popular in england and germany until the midseventeenth century, but eventually the faust story lost much of. Hungarian march orchestre national du capitole tugan sokhiev. Paul groves is dashing as faust with an appealing dreamlike quality in his eyes, and his voice meets the lyric and dramatic demands of the role perfectly. Faust myth encyclopedia god, story, legend, names, hero, evil. The scholar faust is alone amongst his books, lost in thought. Musical works based on the faust story include hector berliozs cantata, the damnation of faust 1846, charles gounods opera, faust 1859, arrigo boitos opera, mefistofele 1868, and the faust symphony 1857 of franz lizt. Featuring only three main characters, and being too episodic in its storyline and too spectacular in its visual conception to be easily staged, it does not meet the typical requirements of opera. At intermission of the lyric opera of chicagos production of the damnation of faust on monday night, a woman two rows ahead commented on. The met opera cuts back on screen time for berlioz next season. Inflamed with desire, faust begs mephistopheles to take him immediately to her, and they set off towards the town. Berlioz transformed this book, by goethe, into a concert opera, the damnation of faust.
It is more of a theatre of the imagination, intertwining. This retelling of the story is usually performed at concert halls and it is no different to the victorian leeds town hall where the. The damnation of faust 1903 directed by georges melies. Sometimes referred to as one of the two quintessential myths of western culture the other being don giovanni, the story of faust was an.
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