Organization

Singer

Soprano

Vesselina Kasarova

Marguerite

Tenor

Paul Groves

Faust

Bass

Willard White

Mephistopheles

Andreas Macco

Brander

Conductor

Sylvain Cambreling

Stage director

Alex Ollé

Costume designer

Jaume Plensa

Set designer

Carlus Padrissa

La Fura dels Baus

Lighting designer

Heinrich Brunke

Chorus master

José Antonio Sainz Alfaro

Salzburger Festspiele

Others

Choeur Orfeon Donostiarra

Orchestra

Staatskapelle Berlin

Tölzer Knabenchor

Orfeón Donostiarra Tölzer Knabenchor

francès

La Damnation de Faust -  (The Damnation of Faust)

Salzburg

Austria

Großes Festspielhaus

La damnation de Faust by H. Berlioz, from Salzburg Festival, performed at Großes Festspielhaus, 1999. Directed by La Fura Dels Baus /Carlus Padrissa, conductor Sylvain Cambreling, starring Vesselina Kasarova,Willard White,Andreas Macco,Paul Groves.

A triumph for The Damnation of Faust at the Salzburg Festival (at Gerard Mortier’s times), staged by the Catalan duet La Fura dels Baus.

Faust is a victim of the "malady of his century", the feeling characterized by melancholy and dissatisfaction which marked artistic creation in the beginning of the 19th century and set the basis of the Romantic Movement. His knowledge is a burden which does not allow him to dream and he is tormented by his impiety (Alfred de Musset also expressed this feeling in the magnificent Rolla). Méphistophélès, the devil personified as a human being, comes to him with an offer: should Faust follow him and forget about his erudition, he will have access to pleasure, happiness and everything he desires.

With the help of magic and fiendish creatures, the devil present the young Marguerite to Faust and both celebrate their love in a duet "Love has taken my ravished soul." But to avoid disgrace and Marguerite's mother's fury, they have to part. In the wake of their union, Méphistophélès tells Faust that Marguerite is in prison for having poisoned her mother with a sleeping beverage. Méphistolphélès promises that he will free her if Faust agrees to serve him. As soon as Faust sells his soul to the devil, he is thrust in Hell. The last notes of Berlioz's work describe the apocalypse where blood flows, skeletons dance and the lakes are set on fire, where as Marguerite, the naive soul which love lead astray, is welcomed in Heaven.

While excerpts of the score are popular today, like the Hungarian March in the first part or Marguerite's romanza "D'amour l'ardente flamme" in the fourth part, the complete "légende dramatique," as the composer called it, is rarely performed. But you must remind of this opera for its unity, its dramaturgy, its libretto (written by Gérard de Nerval) and its long lyrical flights of poetry. Alex Ollé and Carlos Padrissa (La Fura dels Baus) well understood it, when they staged this blazing and infernal version of Berlioz’s score. The musical direction by Sylvain Cambreling, but also the performance by Vesselina Kasarova (Marguerite), Paul Groves (Faust), Williard White (Méphistophélès) and Andreas Macco (Brander), joined by the Staatskapelle Berlin Orchestra, the Chorus Orfeón Donostiarra from San Sebastián and the Tölzer Knabenchor made this production at the Salzburg Festival a reference version of Berlioz’s score.

The Damnation of Faust by Berlioz, De (1999/1999), Dirigit per Alex Ollé, Carlus Padrissa, La Fura dels Baus,, Director musical Sylvain Cambreling, Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg, Austria

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