Act I: Faust's Study

Faust, an aged philosopher, embittered and alone, despairs of solving the mystery of the universe and sees death as his only solution. He is about to drink a poisoned potion, but a chorus of young people praising the beauties of nature make him hesitate. But he renews his curse on Cod, creation and his advancing age, and invokes the aid of Satan, who immediately appears.

Mephistopheles offers Faust wealth and power, but the philosopher wants only to recapture his youth. Mephistopheles promises to make him young again "for almost nothing"- just a signature on a parchment. He will serve Faust on this earth, but "down there", he says, "you belong to me". Faust's lingering doubts are dispelled by a glowing vision of Margarita. He signs the
contract, drinks the potion offered to him by Mephistopheles, and is transformed into a young man.

Act II: The Town Square

It is fair time and the square is full of students, burghers and soldiers, young girls and matrons, celebrating. Valentine, Margarita's brother, is preparing to go off to war with Wagner. He entrusts the care of his sister to his young friend, Siebel, and in the famous aria ("Now that I must say goodbye"), he prays to God to protect her during his absence. Wagner entertains the crowd with the Song of the Rat, but is interrupted by Mephistopheles, who asks to join the gathering. He sings the Song of the Golden Calf and starts to tell the fortunes of Wagner, Valentine and Siebel, to whom he prophesies that every flower he touches will wither and die. He rejects the wine offered by Wagner and, striking the barrel, causes good wine to flow from it - a perversion of Christ's miracle at Cana. Valentine is offended by Mephistopheles' remarks about Margarita and challenges him, but his sword falls powerless. In the Chorale of the Swords, Valentine and the soldiers, realising the identity of the stranger in their midst, advance on him with their cross-shaped sword hilts, leaving him temporarily subdued.

The crowd reassemble to watch the dancers. Faust enters with Mephistopheles and Margarita appears. Siebel seeks to join her, but is prevented by Mephistopheles. Faust recognises Margarita as the girl of his vision, and offers to escort her home, but although she is attracted to the handsome stranger, she modestly declines. The dance continues.

INTERVAL

Act III: Margarita's Garden

Siebel enters bringing flowers for Margarita, whom he secretly loves. He is distressed to find that, when he picks up a flower, it withers in his hand. The stranger's prediction has come true. However, seeing a holy water font, he dips in his hand and finds the flowers no longer shrivel at his touch. He leaves the flowers for Margarita on the bench.

Faust enters with Mephistopheles, who goes off to find a "fitting Present" for Margarita. Left alone, Faust is deeply affected by "this chaste and modest dwelling" and sings his famous aria. Mephistopheles returns bringing a casket of jewels for Margarita and the two hide in the garden to await her return.

Margarita enters, thinking back to her meeting with Faust that morning, and finds the casket. She cannot resist opening it and trying on the jewels, admiring herself in the mirror, and sings her famous "Jewel Song". She is discovered by Martha, her companion, who encourages her to accept the gift from her unknown admirer. Mephistopheles and Faust return. Mephistopheles pays court to Martha after telling her that her husband is dead. During the following Quartet, Martha readily welcomes the stranger's advances, and Faust and Margarita sing of their growing attraction for each other. Mephistopheles and Martha withdraw, leaving the two lovers together. In a ravishing duet, they sing of their love. Margarita goes into the house and Faust turns to leave the garden, but is stopped by Mephistopheles who urges him to return and listen to the secrets which Margarita is telling the stars. She calls to Faust through the window and the two unite in a passionate embrace. Mephistopheles laughs mockingly.

ACT IV

Scene 1: Margarita's room

Margarita, now pregnant, has been deserted by Faust and scorned by all her friends. She weeps, still thinking of her lost love. Siebel alone comes to console her and offer her his friendship.

Scene 2: The street outside Margarita's house

The soldiers have returned from war. They sing of their battles and are reunited with their loved ones. Valentine grieves for his friend Wagner, who has been killed, as Mephistopheles foretold. Valentine asks Siebel to accompany him back to his house, but Siebel's hesitation makes him realise that all is not well with Margarita, and he goes home alone.

Scene 3: The Church

Margarita has gone to Church to pray for forgiveness. Mephistopheles threatens her and tries to prevent her praying, summoning up evil spirits who curse her. He tells her she is damned forever, and she faints onto the ground.

Scene 4: Outside Margarita's house

Faust and Mephistopheles appear. Faust regrets abandoning Margarita and wishes to see her again, but is afraid to knock at the door. In order to coax her out, Mephistopheles sings an elegant but mocking Serenade. But Valentine appears instead and, incensed by Mephistopheles' insults, challenges Faust to a duel. Valentine is fatally wounded and dies cursing Margarita, claiming that her sins are responsible for his death.

Act V: A prison

Margarita, demented through guilt and suffering, has killed her child and is in prison awaiting execution. Faust and Mephistopheles enter her cell to rescue her. When Margarita hears Faust's voice, her memories of their love are re-kindled and they sing an impassioned duet. Mephistopheles urges them to flee, but Margarita, recognising him as "the fiend", prays to God and the angels to protect her. Rather then dying on the scaffold, she drinks a poisoned potion offered her by Martha, and dies in a state of grace. Faust falls to his knees in repentance, and Mephistopheles descends to hell alone.

GOUNOD'S FAUST - A Historical Note

Although the legend of Faust inspired several different authors over the centuries (among them Christopher Marlowe), Goethe's play is arguably the most famous version. It is this tale which the librettists, Barbier and Carre, adapted for Gounod's opera. The story is based on a 16th century German tale of a philosopher, Faust, who makes a bargain with the Devil (Mephistopheles). In return for eternal youth and the love of the woman he admires (Margarita), he promises Mephistopheles his soul. Valentine, Margarita's brother, entrusts the care of Margarita to the faithful Siebel, while he goes off to war. On his return he finds Margarita has been betrayed by Faust, and, acting under Mephistopheles' instructions, challenges him to a duel in which Valentine is killed. Margarita, in prison for the murder of her baby, repents of her sins and refuses to go with Faust and Mephistopheles. Her soul is transported to heaven by the angels. Faust himself, full of remorse, falls to his knees and repents, and Mephistopheles descends to hell.

Gounod's Faust had its premiere in Paris in 1859, and was enthusiasically received by all, including Berlioz who wrote of "the great and legitimate success obtained by Gounod". But despite its initial success, it was plagued by theatrical intrigues of various sorts, and the opera was not performed at all in Paris from 1859 to 1862. However, in 1869, following acdaim in Germany, England, Italy and America, the Paris Opera decided to stage it. Gounod had by then re-modelled the opera, substituting sung recitatives for spoken dialogue and adding a full-scale ballet which delighted Parisian audiences. It is this later version which met with so much success in France and throughout Europe in the 1870's and 80's. Queen Victoria apparently loved the work, and it was the opera which was chosen as the inaugural score for the opening of the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1883.

Over a span of 40 years, until the 1920's, Faust enjoyed tremendous success. Later on there was a falling off in popularity, partly because the younger generation found the melodies too cloying, but perhaps chiefly because of a lack of suitable singers to sustain the demanding vocal lines. Nowadays, with the availability of first-rate singers in the principal roles of Faust, Margarita and Mephistopheles, the opera attracts large audiences when it is performed. The music of Faust, and its universal themes of diabolic pacts, attainment of eternal youth and the redeeming power of love, still continue to enchant the public.

Maggie Peers

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