Organization

Singer

Bass

Tassos Apostolou

Mephistopheles

Baritone

Kostis Rasidakis

Wagner

Conductor

Pierre Dumoussaud

Stage director

Renato Zanella

Choreographer

Movement Coach

Set designer

Alessandro Camera

Costume designer

Carla Ricotti

Lighting designer

Vinicio Cheli

Chorus master

Agathangelos Georgakatos

Tenor

Ivan Magrì

Faust

Yannis Christopoulos

Soprano

Irina Lungu

Marguerite

Vassiliki Karayanni

Yanni Yannissis

Petros Magoulas

Dionysios Sourbis

Valentine

Nikos Kotenidis

George Mattheakakis

Mezzo-soprano

Miranda Makrynioti

Siebel

Diamanti Kritsotaki

Anna Agathonos

Martha Schwertlein

Chrysanthi Spitadi

Greek National Opera

Orchestra

GNO Orchestra

Others

GNO Chorus

Ballet

Greek National Opera Ballet

Athens

Greece

SNFCC

Main Stage

Faust Gounod

Public

Approved

Stavros Niarchos Hall

Ένα από τα κορυφαία έργα του Γαλλικού ρεπερτορίου της όπερας, ο Φάουστ του Σαρλ Γκουνό έρχεται στην Εθνική Λυρική Σκηνή σε μια εντυπωσιακή παραγωγή, σε μουσι...

Faust, the majestic opera with ballet of Charles Gounod, comes to ELS from 7 to 17/4

The National Opera presents the five-act grand op é ra Faust by Charles Gounod - one of the most successful works of the French repertoire - from April 7, 2022 and for eight performances at the Stavros Niarchos Hall at the SNFCC, under the direction of Pierre Dymousso, choreography, kinesiology Renato Janella. Starring distinguished Greek and foreign soloists such as, among others, Ivan Magri, Giannis Christopoulos, Irina Lungou, Vasiliki Karagianni, Giannis Giannisis, Tassos Apostolou, Petros Magoulas and others.

 

The successful production of 2012, which was presented at the Athens Concert Hall, is revived this year for the first time at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. Guno 's Faust is a typical example of a French grand opera and is the first of its kind to be so successful worldwide. Faust is based on a poetic text by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre, who drew their material from Carre 's play Faust and Margarita (1850), as well as from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 's First Part of Faust (1808). his French translation by Gerard de Nerval (1828). From 1859 when it was first presented in Paris, Faustremained the most popular lyric work until about World War II.

From Goethe, Faust holds only the narrative and bypasses the philosophical background: the old scientist Faust sells his soul to Mephistopheles, in exchange for youth and love. At the center of the opera is not so much Faust himself as Margarita, who is transformed thanks to love and eventually pays hard for her choices.

Charles Gounod was born in Paris in 1818 and received his first piano lessons from his mother. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and in 1839 won the famous Rome Prize for Ferdinand 's cantata . In Italy he studied the works of Palestrina and other compositions of church music. Later, thanks to Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, he came in contact with the music of GS Bach. In 1851 he composed his first opera, Sappho . In 1859 Faust made the composer famous all over the world. This was followed by the French-themed Mireille (1864), which has recently come to the fore again, and the opera Romeo and Juliet.(1867), based on Shakespeare. Apart from lyrical works, Gouno also composed agreements while during the last years of his life he was particularly involved with works of religious music, oratorios, services, motets.

The director, choreographer, former director of the ELS Ballet and current director of the Slovenian National Ballet Renato έanella, has been the director of the Vienna State Opera Ballet for many years, at the Verona Arena and at the National Ballet of Brescia. , transferring the project's case to an old empty classroom . There, in front of blackboards full of knowledge, Faust, alone, is tormented by the fundamental questions of life, death, love, happiness. In his blurred mind he meets Mephistopheles, who, lured by Margarita, convinces him to sign the agreement with the devil.

The production had received positive reviews in 2012 in its first upload, both for the modern directing approach and the imaginative use of ballet by Tzanellas as well as for the correct guidance of singers and choir and the consistent drama in the work, in the inspired setting of Alessandro Camera and with the impressive costumes of Carla Ricotti.

Janella notes: " I place the case in an old, empty classroom. The time and place are not specific. There are blackboards full of information all around. The desks are empty, students have not been around for years, but Professor Faust returns every day and continues to teach ; he cannot believe that everything is over and that he is left alone. The passage of time, his sadness and loneliness have caused confusion and aggression. Questions about life and death come to mind. He is looking forward to welcoming the day of his death, but this time has not yet come.

Do we learn to live or do we live to learn and what price does one pay when one dedicates life to one's passion, forgetting reality, forgetting to follow one's true feelings?

Faust decides to face death by suicide. And because God did not answer his questions, he wants to meet Satan, lest he give him the answers he is looking for. Satan sends Mephistopheles to him, who overtakes him at the last moment and offers him a deal: He will give Faust everything he asks for, but he will take his soul in return. But Mephistopheles knows more. He knows Faust's love for one of his students, Margarita, and in his cynical play he reveals the object of desire to Faust, who can no longer be restrained, and signs the fatal agreement.

My approach moves away from both the supernatural and the religious element and places man and his weaknesses at the heart of the matter. Is Faust really getting young again or is Mephistopheles just showing him what he wants to see? Do they really leave the classroom in order to travel to other places and live the most impressive adventures or do they never leave the classroom? Is this room Faust's head, full of so much information that he can not distinguish the real from the imaginary? ».

The production is directed by the distinguished French chief musician Pierre Dumousso , in his second collaboration with ELS, after Lucia di Lammermour in 2019. Dymousso was awarded a few days ago by the French awards Victoires de la Musique as the best up-and-coming chief musician of the year. Dimusso studied conducting at the Paris Conservatory and continued his training at the PSPBB. Despite his young age, his repertoire is very wide and extends from the 18th to the 21st century. He has conducted operas and ballets in major opera houses in France, collaborating with important orchestras, ensembles, lyric singers and composers.

The title role is shared by tenors Ivan Magri and Giannis Christopoulos .

Magri has won numerous awards in international competitions and has appeared in top lyric theaters around the world, in London, Vienna, Berlin, Sydney, Madrid, Venice and more.

Giannis Christopoulos is one of the most recognized Greek tenors of his generation. He has appeared as a soloist, among others, on the National Opera, Athens and Thessaloniki Concert Halls. He has collaborated with all the important Greek orchestras, while he has appeared in performances and concerts at international and Greek festivals.

The role of Margarita is shared by Irina Lungou and Vasiliki Karagianni .

Lungu is considered one of the leading sopranos in the world with a long career in the most important operas, such as the Metropolitan of New York, Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, Paris National Opera, but also in the operas of Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Monarch, Barcelona. .a.

Vasiliki Karagianni has repeatedly starred in productions of the National Opera, as well as at the Athens and Thessaloniki Concert Halls. He has performed in major opera houses, festivals and concert halls worldwide, including the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, the Berlin Comic Opera, the German Rhine Opera, the Sao Carlos National Theater, the Florentine Maye Theater, the Carnegie Mayan, Carnegie also in Tokyo.

The role of Mephistopheles is played by three leading Greek bassists, Giannis Giannisis , Tassos Apostolou and Petros Magoulas .

The distribution is completed by distinguished and younger Greek soloists, such as Dionysis Sourbis, Nikos Kotenidis, George Mattheiakakis, Kostis Rasidakis, Miranda Makrynioti, Diamantis Kritsotakis, Anna Agathonos, Chrysanthi Spitadi .

The Orchestra , the Choir and the Ballet of ELS participate.

 

 

Faust's performances on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th April will be presented in universal accessibility, in collaboration with the cultural organization liminal, with the aim of unhindered audiovisual monitoring of the show for all and sundry. For these two selected performances, it is foreseen that there will be positions for the deaf / hard of hearing that handle the Greek Sign Language, positions for the deaf / hard of hearing that use the subtitles SDH, as well as positions for the visually impaired who will use the AD audio description service (with or without blind guide dog).

In the context of the accessibility action cycle "All together in the opera".

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