''Faust'' is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

by the German composer

Louis Spohr Louis Spohr (, 5 April 178422 October 1859), baptized Ludewig Spohr, later often in the modern German form of the name Ludwig, was a German composer, violinist and conducting, conductor. Highly regarded during his lifetime, Spohr composed ten Sy ...

. The libretto, by

Joseph Karl Bernard Joseph Karl Bernard (forenames also spelled Joseph Carl, Josef Karl and Josef Carl; 26 January 1780 – 31 March 1850) was an Austrian journalist and librettist, and friend of Ludwig van Beethoven. Life Bernard was born in Horatitz (present-day Ho� ...

, is based on the legend of

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The wiktionary:erudite, erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a ...

; it is not influenced by Goethe's ''Faust'', though '' Faust, Part One'' had been published in 1808. Instead, Bernard's libretto draws mainly on Faust plays and poems by Friedrich Maximilian Klinger and

Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, short story writer and journalist. His best known works are the theatre plays '' Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'', '' The Broken Jug'', ''Amph ...

. Spohr's ''Faust'' is an important work in the history of German Romantic opera.

Performance history

Spohr had left his court appointment at

Gotha Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine Wettins from 1640 until the ...

and taken up a post in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien, which had recently been purchased by Count Ferdinánd Pálffy de Erdöd. Spohr composed the opera in less than four months, May to September 1813 but had difficulties with Count Pálffy that interfered with getting it staged in Vienna. Though he took the manuscript score privately to

Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jakob Liebmann Beer; 5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Mozart and Wagner". With his 1831 opera '' Robert le d ...

, who played it, with Spohr singing — supplementing his vocal range by whistling — it was not until

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas, ...

took an interest in the score that it received its premiere. Weber conducted the first performance of ''Faust'' at the

Estates Theatre The Estates Theatre or Stavovské divadlo is a historic theater in Prague, Czech Republic. The Estates Theatre was annexed to the National Theatre in 1948 and currently draws on three artistic ensembles, opera, ballet, and drama, which perform a ...

in Prague on 1 September 1816. Meyerbeer introduced it at Berlin. In its original form, the opera was a '' Singspiel'' in two acts. In 1851, Spohr turned the piece into a

grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...

in three acts, replacing the spoken dialogue with

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repea ...

. This version (in an Italian translation) received its premiere in London at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, on 15 July 1852. A performance was given by the

University College Opera University College Opera, or UCOpera, is the student opera company of University College London. The operas are staged by professional singers, directors and designers, with the orchestra and chorus drawn from the student body. Founded in 1951, ...

at the

Bloomsbury Theatre The Bloomsbury Theatre is a theatre on Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden, owned by University College London. The Theatre has a seating capacity of 547 and offers a professional programme of innovative music, drama, come ...

in February 1984. In 1993 the Bielefeld Opera also performed this form of ''Faust'' in what was claimed to be the first staged production worldwide since 1931. Conducted by Geoffrey Moull and directed by , the opera was given eight performances and subsequently recorded for CPO.

Roles

Synopsis

Faust is torn between his love for the young Röschen and his desire for Kunigunde, the fiancée of Count Hugo. He makes a pact with the devil Mefistofeles which allows him to rescue Kunigunde from the clutches of the evil knight Gulf. Faust obtains a love potion from the witch Sycorax which he gives to Kunigunde during her wedding celebrations. Outraged at the sudden passion his bride shows for Faust, Count Hugo challenges him to a duel. Faust kills Hugo and flees. Meanwhile, Faust's first love, Röschen, drowns herself in despair. Mefistofeles seizes Faust and drags him down to Hell.

Recordings

*''Faust'' (1852 revision) Bielefeld Opera, Soloists, Chorus, Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Moull (CPO, 1994). *''Faust'' – Bo Skovhus, Franz Hawlata, Robert Swensen, Brigitte Wohlfarth,

Hillevi Martinpelto Hillevi Martinpelto (born 9 January 1958 in Älvdalen) is a Swedish lyric soprano. She made her debut in ''Madama Butterfly'' by Giacomo Puccini in 1987. She is best known for her work with John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir. Wit ...

, others; Südfunkchor Stuttgart; Rundfunkorchester des SWF Kaiserslautern; conducting; Capriccio CD label. (1994) This recording is of the original version.

Notes

External links