Last week, Andrea and I attended a memorable production of Gounod’s “Faust” at the Wolf Trap Summer Opera in Vienna, VA.

I had bonded with this opera after attending performances of it at the New York City Opera in Lincoln Center back in my Fordham years (late 1960’s). That had been a widely acclaimed production. I attended its opening night in standing-room and was emotionally affected by both the story and music, returning to see it three more times. More than fifty years later, when I saw that it was being performed close to home, I jumped at the chance to experience it once again.

The Wolf Trap production was inspiring. It really brought to life Goethe’s version of the legend of Dr. Faust — an aging, despairing intellectual who, in a moment of utter spiritual darkness, invokes the forces of evil. To his surprise, an enterprising devil responds, appearing in the form of the depraved spirit, Mephistopheles, who offers Faust anything he wants in the physical universe in exchange for his complete spiritual submission in the afterlife. Faust is uninterested in the offered temptations of money or power, craving only a return to his youthful body and opportunities to find love and passion with women, something he’s never experienced. After Faust signs an agreement, Mephistopheles grants him his request, and relishes the spiritual capture of this fallen soul.

Mephistopheles immediately arranges a seduction for his new protege. The victim is a lovely, innocent young woman, Marguerite. She coldly rejects Faust’s initial overtures but is eventually won over by his lyrically expressed passion for her. Faust sings his passion with great warmth and beauty. Mephistopheles works behind the scenes to further tempt Marguerite with fabulous jewelry. In a scene of touching human passion, she finally succumbs to Faust, admitting him to her room.

Any remaining sympathy for the dashing, young Faust disappears when he quickly abandons Marguerite after impregnating her. He later returns to her, filled with remorse. His efforts to make amends are too late, however. Marguerite has succumbed to shame and guilt for her romantic surrender. She is also shunned by her friends and the Catholic Church to which she had been deeply devoted. In her desperation, she murders her infant and contemplates her own suicide.

But she then remembers the spiritual devotion she once had and ventures out to a nearby church. There she confesses her sin and begs God for mercy. But Mephistopheles arrives in thundering fashion to proclaim her crime and the everlasting damnation of her soul. As with Faust, he cravenly feeds on his domination over his fallen victims.

The real drama of the opera lies in this spiritual encounter between Marguerite and the devil. Mephistopheles is so brazen and so powerful in his vocal domination as to appear invincible. But as a church choir also sings out strongly, they are joined by a chorus of angelic voices. This slowly turns the tide against Mephistopheles, with Marguerita adding her beautiful soprano voice to the human and angelic choirs.  She dies ecstatically, within the loving embrace of the forces of the Light, as Mephistopheles slouches away in defeat.

A comprehensive musical review of this “Faust” performance by the Washington Post’s superb classical music critic, Michael Andor Brodeur, is available via the link below.

Wolf Trap’s ‘Faust’ brings a hard bargain to the Big Easy – The Washington Post

My lasting impression of the opera is very much an emotional and spiritual one.

The English poet John Milton is well known for his depiction of Satan as a most cunning and ruthless adversary. As such, Satan’s persona towers over Adam and even Christ in Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost. Similarly, Gounod’s Mephistopheles regularly steals the show – his music and words are often charming and urbanely funny. He has a deep understanding of the foibles of humanity and knows exactly how to tempt his victims at their weakest point.

His aria in the final act of the opera paints a picture in which the forces of darkness are obliterating the seemingly paltry goodness of Marguerite and her ilk of “do gooders”. It’s downright chilling to witness. Think of the Nazis winning WW2 and Hitler presiding for decades, with his bestial Third Reich imposing its evil domination over the entire world. That’s the feeling I had as Mephistopheles touted his dominance.

And yet, the forces of the Light rise up to meet this devil, and in a dramatic musical battle, finally overcome the Darkness as Marguerite finds her ultimate salvation.

There’s a Brazilian hymn by Alex Polari de Alverga that I’ve long taken inspiration from. A rough translation is:

“That which comes to test evil

Also comes to test goodness.

God allows evil

To see what we’re made of.“

Those words came to mind as I was digesting the thrilling performance of “Faust”. It led me to remember the supreme effort it took for the Allies in WW2 to overcome the dark forces of fascism, or closer to home, the valiant efforts of the Ukrainian people to overcome Putin’s brutal onslaught.

Marguerite wins her salvation by rising up to meet her devilish opponent, literally singing her heart out to overcome the steely treachery of Satan.

John Bayerl, 8/5/2023