100 Great Operas and Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses (22 page)

Time: 16th century

Places: Wittenberg, Leipzig, and the Harz Mountains

First performance at Paris, March 19, 1859

    The legend of Dr. Faustus seems to be the perfect story to attract both dramatists and composers. Marlowe and Goethe wrote great plays on the subject—not to mention some thirty lesser dramatists who wrote lesser plays. Beethoven once toyed with the idea of doing an opera on the subject. Wagner composed a
Faust Overture
. Liszt did a cantata. And Berlioz, Boito, and Gounod all wrote very find Faust operas. Spohr and Busoni wrote less successful ones; and there is even a Faust opera by that
rara avis
, a female opera composer-Louise Bertin. Gounod’s setting is easily the most popular of all of them—and in many ways the best. It is based, more closely than most critics have been willing to admit, on Part I of Goethe’s drama; and its theme is, of course, that of the
old German scientist-philosopher who sells his soul in return for youth.

PRELUDE

The orchestral prelude begins with slow, soft music in a minor key and a contrapuntal style skillfully suggestive of the gloomy medieval scholar’s cell on which the curtain will shortly rise. Then, in a completely different style, the melody of Valentine’s aria
Even Bravest Heart May Swell
is played, and the prelude closes with a few measures of
religioso
music.

ACT I

Scene 1
deals with the contract Faust makes with the Devil—Mephistopheles. After the prelude, the old scholar, seated in his study in the medieval town of Wittenberg, complains that all his learning has brought him nothing. He is about to poison himself, when he hears youthful voices outside his study praising the Lord. In desperation Faust calls on the Devil for aid, and, much to his surprise, Mephistopheles appears, clothed like a sixteenth-century gentleman. At first Faust turns from him; but when Mephisto offers whatever he wants, Faust cries out that he desires—youth!

Nothing could be simpler for Mephisto. He shows the old man a vision of the lovely young girl, Marguerite, and almost at once the philosopher is ready to sign the contract. On earth, Mephisto will serve him in everything. But below, the Devil will be master. A quick signature, a quick magic potion, and Faust is changed to a young man in elegant costume. The scene ends with a spirited duet, as the two go off in search of adventure—and love.

Scene 2
takes us to a village fair in sixteenth-century Leipzig. Soldiers, students, villagers are milling around and singing the praises of light wines and beer. Valentine, who is Marguerite’s brother, is in a more serious frame of mind. He is worried about who will guard over his sister while he is at the wars, and he sings the familiar aria
Even Bravest Heart May
Swell
. (Gounod, by the way, wrote this aria originally using the English words. The French translation begins:
Avant de quitter ces lieux.)
Now a student, Wagner, begins a song about a rat, but he is interrupted by Mephistopheles, who claims he knows a better song. This is the
Calf of Gold
, which is so rhythmic that everyone joins in the chorus, for as yet they do not recognize this genial basso as the Devil. Mephisto then produces, by magic, some excellent wine (much better, he says, than the local stuff), and he proposes a toast to Marguerite. Valentine is angered by having his sister’s name thus bandied about, and challenges the stranger. But just as he is about to attack, Mephisto points at him, and Valentine’s sword breaks in half. Now the villagers know whom they have to deal with. Led by Valentine, they reverse their swords, thus making the sign of the cross; and as they sing the Chorale of the Swords, Mephisto grovels on the ground.

When they have left him alone, Faust appears on the stage, demanding to meet Marguerite, and the Devil is himself again. The famous waltz from
Faust
begins, and in the midst of the dancing Marguerite comes on the stage. Faust offers her his arm; she very politely declines; and the waltz resumes as the badly smitten Faust voices his newborn love. In a swirl of madder and madder waltz rhythms the scene ends.

ACT II

Act II is the justly famous
Garden Scene
. It takes place the same evening in Marguerite’s garden, and the familiar melodies that come from that garden may justly be called a sweet bouquet of great arias and concerted numbers. A list of them will make the action clear. First of all, there is Siebel’s
Flower Song
. Siebel is the young man who is in love with Marguerite; and as he sings, he gathers flowers and finally places them where Marguerite cannot fail to see them. The next great aria is Faust’s
Salut demeure
—“All hail thou dwelling pure and lowly.” In it he expresses his enchantment with the beautiful and simple surroundings wherein the lovely Marguerite grew up. Immediately after it Mephistopheles
comes in and leaves a casket of jewels beside Siebel’s bouquet—a bit of unfair competition, I always thought. And, when the two gentlemen have retired, in comes Marguerite and, as she sits beside her spinning wheel, she sings the simple ballad
The King of Thule
. Every once in a while she interrupts herself as she moons a little about the handsome young stranger who had greeted her at the dance. Immediately after this she discovers first Siebel’s flowers, and then the casket of jewels. This is the signal for the brilliant
Jewel Song
, during which she decks herself out in the finery she finds.

Marguerite now is joined by her gossipy old neighbor, Marthe, and then both are joined by Faust and Mephisto. And while Mephisto makes mock love to Marthe, Faust and Marguerite get to know each other better. A very fine quartet is the natural musical outcome. Twilight comes on, and Mephistopheles solemnly intones his
Invocation to Night
. He hopes it may lead to trouble for poor Marguerite, and Faust and Marguerite are then left alone for their great
Love Duet
. As she superstitiously plucks a daisy for the old he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not test, as she protests that it is growing too late, as she says she loves him so much that she would die for him, Gounod paints a picture of dawning love that few composers have ever equaled. Faust, who retains some compunctions about seducing an innocent maiden, finally consents to leave and return the next day. But the Devil knows his business only too well. Just as Faust is leaving the garden, he stops him and points to Marguerite’s window. There she is, leaning out of it, and singing to the stars about her new love. It is one of the most enchanting bits in the whole scene. Faust rushes to embrace her passionately; and Mephistopheles, his end achieved, laughs a hearty, wicked laugh as the orchestra swells and then fades away, picturing the love of Faust and Marguerite.

ACT III

Scene 1
, though based on a famous bit in Goethe’s play, is almost always omitted in modern performances, possibly
because its theme—that of the deserted woman—is the same as the theme of the more dramatically powerful scene which follows immediately.

Marguerite is alone in her room, horrified by the laughing taunts of her girlish ex-playmates, who may be heard outside giggling over her departed gallant. She sits at her spinning wheel, sadly bemoaning the lover who will return no more, in the aria
Il ne revient pas
. Young Siebel calls and gallantly offers to avenge her, but Marguerite admits she loves the man still. Thereupon Siebel sings the consoling aria
Si le bonheur
(“When All Was Young”), which remained a popular drawing-room ballad long after the better judgment of impresarios had banished the entire scene from the stage.

Scene 2
is equally brief. It shows Marguerite praying in the church despite her belief that her sin will never be pardoned. Her prayer is interrupted by the Devil, who, from behind a pillar, mockingly reminds her of the days of her innocence. A chorus of demons punctuates Mephisto’s remarks with cries of
“Marguerite! Marguerite!”
Meantime, a holy service is going on in another part of the church; and as the choir intones the solemn
Dies Irae
, Marguerite’s voice soars above it, wildly begging for pardon. But when Mephisto cries,
“Marguerite! Sois maudite! À toi l’enfer!”
(that is, “Marguerite, be cursed to hell”), she cries out piteously, and faints away. The quiet, religious tones of the organ close the scene—as it began it.

Scene 3
takes us to the street outside Marguerite’s home. Into the square pour the soldiers, home from the wars. They sing, of course, the famous
Soldiers’ Chorus
from
Faust
. Among the veterans is Marguerite’s brother, Valentine. He invites Siebel into his house, but Siebel, in great confusion, declines. Suspiciously Valentine goes inside, and presently he hears a mocking serenade. It is sung by Mephistopheles, who has brought Faust back with him. The three octaves of
Ha-ha-ha’s
that close this serenade bring out a very angry Valentine. He now knows what has happened while he was away, and he immediately challenges Faust to a duel. As the two men prepare, a stirring trio is sung. Then comes the duel, indicated by strong, suspenseful music in the orchestra. Surreptitiously
the Devil directs the sword of Faust—and it finds the heart of Valentine. As the villagers (who have heard the disturbance) gather, Mephisto takes Faust from the scene.

Now Valentine has his powerful death scene. Painfully he lifts himself to his knees, and he bitterly curses his sister with his dying breath. The villagers are shocked and horrified; and when the soldier dies at their feet, there is a moment of utter silence. They barely whisper a short prayer—and the clarinet sings a mournful tune as the act ends.

ACT IV

Scene 1
is omitted by opera companies that do not wish to expose the inadequacy of their ballet wings and proudly mounted by those with terpsichorean pretensions. It is the
Walpurgis Night
scene and gets its name from the German superstition that on the eve of May 1 (the day of St. Walpurgis, an eighth-century proselytizing nun from England) the Devil holds a festival on the Brocken in the Harz Mountains. Mephistopheles brings his protégé to this festival, conjuring up for him such classical beauties as the Sicilian Lais and the Egyptian Cleopatra. Supernatural females of dubious morality dance for the enchanted philosopher to the strains of the so-called
Ballet Music from Faust
, which still forms a staple part of the repertoire of concert bands. Presently Mephisto calls for drinks, and Faust is joining in the revelry when the orchestra suddenly plays,
pianissimo
, a theme from the
Love Duet
A vision of Marguerite appears in the background, a red line about her neck, which Faust, horrified and filled with remorse, describes as looking like the cut of an ax. Peremptorily he demands that Mephisto take him to her, and the scene ends with what a movie-pianist friend of mine used to call “hurry-up music.”

Scene 2
In the final scene we find Marguerite in a prison cell. She is to be executed that very morning for the murder of her child. Under the terrible strain, her mind is giving way. Mephistopheles and Faust break into the prison; and while Mephisto goes off to fetch horses for their escape, Faust
awakens the sleeping Marguerite. They sing of their love for each other, but Marguerite’s mind begins to wander. She thinks she is again at the fair, where she met Faust, and in the garden, where they made love. We hear music from these earlier scenes. Suddenly Mephistopheles reappears. The horses are ready, he says, and they must hurry. But Marguerite recognizes the Devil at last.
“Le démon, le démon!”
she cries, and sinks to her knees in eloquent prayer. The exciting final trio is then sung, as Mephisto and Faust urge Marguerite to leave and she steadfastly repeats her prayer—each time in a higher key. At the end she sinks, exhausted and dying, to the ground. Mephisto pronounces her damned. But a choir of angels brings the final sound of her salvation—and her soul goes to Heaven as the opera ends.

LA FAVOLA D’ORFEO (The Fable of Orpheus)

Opera in prologue and five acts by Claudio
Monteverdi with libretto in Italian by Alessandro
Striggio