Gounod's Thrilling Dark Opera
The Germanic legend of Faust and his deal with the devil has captured the collective imagination over the years with multiple incarnations, including Charles Gounod's French grand opera, arguably the most definitive of all musical iterations. The Washington National Opera brings the thrilling gothic tale to life in the Winter of 2019, conjuring its black magic with a storybook design aesthetic and a dazzling cast that includes Canadian soprano Erin Wall and Argentine tenor Marcelo Puente.
Gounod's soul-stirring ensemble pieces and soaring arias punctate the tale of aging scholar Faust. Realising he has missed out on love and life in the pursuit of knowledge, Faust is poised to commit suicide when the nefarious Mephistopheles intervenes, offering him eternal youth in exchange for his soul. Faust of course accepts, using his newly found power to seduce the lovely Marguerite. But he finds that all that glisters is not gold and his new lease on life comes at the ultimate price...