Gounod, Faust: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of the Opernhaus Zürich,  Switzerland, Patrick Fournillier (conductor), 25.04.2007 (ARz)

Cast:
Isabel Rey (Marguerite)
Judith Schmid (Siebel)
Kismara Pessatti, (Marthe Schwerdtlein)
Piotr Beczala (Faust)
Roberto Scandiuzzi (Méphistophélès)
Oliver Widmer (Valentin)
Reinhard Mayr (Wagner)

Production:
Götz Freidrich (director)
Claudia Blersch (revival director)
Andreas Reinhardt (set designs)
Jan Skalicky (costumes)
Jurgen Hoffman (lighting)

Isabel Rey (Marguerite)

Charles Gounod’s rendering of Faust is often programmed as Gretchen, or Marguerite in German-speaking countries, perhaps to differentiate it from Goethe’s text. Every staging of Faust requires finding a balance between the presentation of the natural and the supernatural. To make a production of Faust work that balance must always be found, so that the audience feels “comfortable”. Sadly this production has failed to strike the right balance between these two.

Recent years have seen some stagings of Faust of which the most notable and successful one I’ve experienced was at London’s Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 2004 and revived twice since then.  On 25 April Zurich Opera House revived a nearly 12-years-old production of Faust originally staged and directed by Götz Friedrich. The sets were designed by Andreas Reinhardt and the costumes by Jan Skalicky. The revival followed the old practice of omitting the Walpurgisnacht scene and the ballet.

Isabel Rey (Marguerite) Piotr Beczala (Faust

The Zurich Faust is a production in modern dress and sets. This fact does not make anything clearer. There are no questions asked and there are no answers given with regard to the story. I think that some opportunities were wasted: instead of a bang we got a whimper, for example when Mephistopheles conjures wine for the crowd: what a disappointment to see the wine being wheeled in on a trolley. Once, however, he surprised everyone, giving himself away when flames spurted from his stick. Also annoying were his tail and horns. He ostentatiously played with his tail that not only could grow but also disappear when he might have been paying more attention to his prime objective of getting Faust’s soul?

The sets are simple yet visually effective: three huge panels fixed permanently to the revolving stage speeding up the proceedings with quick scene changes. Against the backdrop of a mediocre staging, we hear a group of artists from the very top shelf. The title role was sung by a tenor who has been creating a stir with performances in London, Paris and New York. He has a beautiful lyric tenor voice, the ability to act and stage charisma. Here, Piotr Beczala, following in the footsteps of his great Polish predecessors, Jean de Reszke and Jan Kiepura, was in top form. His impeccably sung Salut! demeure chaste pure was crowned by a radiant high C.

The role of Mephistopheles was sung by Roberto Scandiuzzi. His deep voice could display false sweetness and malevolence at will. Scandiuzzi replaced Ruggero Raimondi shortly before this run of Faust, who instead sang the role of Mustafa in Gioachino Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri.  Clad in a costume of a servant, Isabel Rey made her role debut as Marguerite. Although she successfully negotiated the vocal and histrionic requirements of the role – which are considerable -  one looks forward to hearing her in a repertoire more suited to her special gifts. As well as the audience, she had a big surprise when the jewel casket she found placed at her door also contained a white frock. A wedding dress given to her by the devil?  Clearly not, unless it’s Faust doing the devil’s work.

Piotr Beczala (Faust) Robert Scandiuzzi (Méphistophélès)

A stroke of bad luck hit this production when Siebel, sung by Judith Schmid, had an accident during rehearsals. On the night an actor mimed her movements on stage while she sang effectively from the wings. Oliver Widmer, a regular at Opernhaus Zurich, sang Valentin. Reinhard Mayr sang the role of Wagner for the first time while Kismara Pessatti, a mezzosoprano from Brazil, sang Marthe Schwerdtlein. Her presence was welcome in the lovely garden scene quartet.

The realistic and symbolic use of the straitjacket in the final scene may have upset the delicate balance between realism and the romanticism that this opera requires for many of the audience. Such detail may not have been to everybody’s taste.

The conducting by Patrick Fournillier maintained the opera’s shape and momentum.  While the staging was adequate, it was the music and the singing that made this a memorable evening and it was sad to see so many empty seats in this fine theatre. After the only intermission, people rushed to get better seats for the second part of the performance. Overall, however, this was a performance well worth attending,  just to be able to listen to its two main stars: Beczala and Scandiuzzi.

 

Andrzej Rzepczynski

Pictures © Opernhaus Zurich 2004/ 7