Gounod's Faust with Fabiano and Schrott

0000: Gounod’s masterpiece Faust is given the grandest of Royal Opera staging in David McVicar’s richly layered and theatrically exuberant production.

Disillusioned with life, the aged philosopher Faust calls upon Satan to help him. The devil Méphistophélès appears and strikes a bargain with the philosopher. Faust can have youth and the love of the beautiful Marguerite, but only in exchange for his soul…Gounod’s masterpiece is given the grandest of Royal Opera
staging in David McVicar’s richly layered and theatrically exuberant production, with the drama moved to Second Empire Paris, spectacular sets and costumes, and extensive dance. Michael Fabiano as a seductively witty Faust, Erwin Schrott as a devilish Méphistophélès and Irina Lungu as a passionate Marguerite are joined by the Royal Opera Chorus and a cast of Royal Opera favourites. Dan Ettinger conducts the Orchestra of
the Royal Opera House in Gounod’s gloriously tuneful score.

Gounod's Faust (1859) was one of the world's most popular operas from the 1860s to World War II, and remains a core repertory work. The story, adapted by Gounod's librettists Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, is based on Part I of Goethe's epic poem Faust, which was a major inspiration for many composers during the 19th century and beyond. Gounod added a ballet to Act V when Faust received its first Paris Opéra staging in 1869.

David McVicar's wonderfully theatrical production draws insightful parallels between Faust and Gounod, a composer torn between piety and worldly and romantic success.

Genre Opera
Production year 2019
Recording location Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Stage Director David McVicar
Light Design Paule Constable
Costumes Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Soloist Michael Fabiano
Soloist Erwin Schrott
Soloist Irina Lungu
Distribution VOD / SVOD Naxos Rights (Europe) Limited
Distribution DVD Naxos Rights (Europe) Limited