Gounod's Faust: Estonian National Opera

About the Event

Estonia's National Opera performs Gounod's world‐famous version of the classic tragedy.

The classic story of the Faust legend is brought to life by Dmitri Bertman’s and Ene‐Liis Semper’s fantastic vision in one of the most famous operas of all times. In 2007 the same team brought to stage Erkki‐Sven Tüür’s award‐winning opera “Wallenberg”. In Gounod’s opera Faust sells his soul to the devil Méphistophélčs in exchange for youth, and is tempted by the innocent but fateful beauty of Marguerite. But there are no winners, when making a pact with the devil – within a moment Faust humiliates the man who adores Marguerite, kills her brother and drives her into madness. Gounod’s music is enticing throughout with memorable hits, such as Marguerite’s “Jewel Song” of the 3rd act and Soldiers’ Chorus of the 2nd act.

Barbier and Carré based their libretto on the first part of Goethe’s play, later adding scenes from the 2nd act. By the death of Gounod in 1893, “Faust” had been performed in Paris over a thousand times. The opera was so popular in the US that for decades in the 19th century, the New York opera season was opened with “Faust”.