La Damnation De Faust
Posted : admin On 1/26/2022Discover the story of Berlioz's La damnation de Faust
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- La Damnation de Faust is dedicated to Liszt, whose own greatest symphonic work, Eine Faust Symphonie, would follow in 1854. Berlioz gave his work, at his own expense, before a half-empty house on December 6, 1846, and again on the 20th with the same result.
The scholar Faust is alone amongst his books, lost in thought. He sings of his inability to connect to the natural world disconnected from his fellow men; and goes for a walk. Returning to his study, he is about to commit suicide when he is halted by a memory of his rural past and happy family life. He attends the military school where he works to lecture cadet students on the Romantic poets. He loses control of the classroom and is evicted from the school by the headmaster.
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Depressed and disillusioned, Faust returns to his study. Convinced that life no longer has any meaning, he resolves to kill himself. He is about to drink poison when the sudden pealing of church bells and the sound of an Easter hymn interrupt him, reminding him of the simple faith of his childhood. Suddenly ashamed, he throws the poison away. The devil Méphistophélès appears, mocking Faust’s newly-restored faith and offers him an alternative: the fulfilment of his every dream and desire.
Faust accepts, and is suddenly transported to a busy tavern. Brander, the landlord, sings a song about a rat, followed by an irreverent Amen from the whole company. Méphistophélès continues the entertainment with a song about a flea, but Faust, disgusted by its vulgarity, quickly insists that they leave.
Faust finds himself at the Roses Club, a brothel with narcotic flowers as its theme. Méphistophélès and his spirits lull the scholar into a dream state, showing him a vision of a beautiful young woman – Marguerite. Inflamed with desire, Faust begs Méphistophélès to take him immediately to her, and they set off towards the town.
Evening has fallen, and Faust and Méphistophélès are concealed in Margeurite’s simple room. With every moment that passes Faust is increasingly convinced that he has found his ideal woman – pure, innocent and good. Margeurite returns home, troubled by a dream she had had about a future lover, whom she fears she will never meet. She sings a ballad about the King of Thule.
Méphistophélès summons his spirits once again. They perform a demonic ritual, while Méphistophélès sings a song predicting Margeurite’s downfall. Méphistophélès leaves the two lovers together; they declare their mutual love whilst repeatedly navigating Margeurite’s mother back to her bedroom.
Méphistophélès suddenly reappears, interrupting them. Margeurite’s reputation is in danger; the neighbours know that a man is in her room, and her mother is awake. With Méphistophélès’ help, Faust quickly makes his escape.
Abandoned by Faust and pregnant, Marguerite waits, hoping desperately for a visit from her lover. Outside her window life goes on; she
hears the noise of cadets, and repeatedly administers a sleeping draught to her mother in case of Faust’s return.
Faust, meanwhile, is in the forest. Still restless and unsatisfied, he calls on nature to console him. Méphistophélès appears with news: Marguerite is to be executed for the murder of her mother, accidentally killed by an overdose of the sleeping draught. Faust pleads with Méphistophélès to spare her, who agrees on one condition – Faust must surrender his soul.
The bargain is struck. Faust believes they are going to Marguerite but gradually realises that he is travelling to witness the execution of his beloved. The devils and demons rejoice at the torment of their new conquest, while Faust, now in a hell brought on by the pursuit of his romantic ideal, has blood on his hands.
Image credits: La damnation de Faust, Festival 2019, photos by Richard Hubert Smith
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More info on La Damnation de Faust
Composer: | Hector Berlioz |
Librettist: | Gérard de Nerval |
Premiere: | 6 December 1846, Paris (Opéra Comique) |
Language: | French |
Synopsis: | La Damnation de Faust Synopsis |
Libretto: | La Damnation de Faust Libretto |
Translation(s): |
About the opera La Damnation de Faust
The French composer was inspired by a translation of Goethe's dramatic poem Faust and produced a musical work that, like the masterpiece it's based on, defies easy categorization. Conceived at various times as a free-form oratorio and as an opera (Berlioz ultimately called it a 'légende dramatique') its travelogue form and cosmic perspective have made it an extreme challenge to stage as an opera. Berlioz himself was eager to see the work staged, but once he did, he conceded that the production techniques of his time were not up to the task of bringing the work to dramatic life. Most of the work's fame has come through concert performances.
Roles in La Damnation de Faust
| Marguerite | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Faust | Tenor |
| Méphistophélès | Baritone or Bass |
| Brander | Bass |
More details roles |
External links for La Damnation de Faust
| Sheetmusic for opera | Sheetmusicplus.com |
| Sheetmusic for opera | Sheetmusicplus.com |
| MP3's for this opera | on Amazon.com |
| DVD/CD's for this opera | on Amazon.com |
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