Prom 31 - 8.08.17: Berlioz – The Damnation of Faust

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  • Eine Alpensinfonie
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 20570

    Prom 31 - 8.08.17: Berlioz – The Damnation of Faust

    19:30 Tuesday 8 August 2017
    Royal Albert Hall

    Hector Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust
    (sung in French)

    Michael Spyres Faust
    Ann Hallenberg Marguerite
    Laurent Naouri Méphistophélès
    Ashley Riches Brander
    Trinity Boys Choir
    Monteverdi Choir
    National Youth Choir of Scotland
    Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
    Sir John Eliot Gardiner conductor


    Sir John Eliot Gardiner returns to the Proms with The Damnation of Faust, continuing his multi-season Berlioz series. Part opera, part cantata, this 'dramatic legend' is an epic retelling of the Faust story that captures the extremes of man's ambition and folly in music by turns exquisite and grotesque. American tenor Michael Spyres returns to the Proms in the title-role, with Swedish mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg as the innocent victim, Marguerite.
    Last edited by Eine Alpensinfonie; 05-08-17, 10:03.
  • Eine Alpensinfonie
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 20570

    #2
    It could, of course, be semi-staged.

    Comment

    • ferneyhoughgeliebte
      Gone fishin'
      • Sep 2011
      • 30163

      #3
      Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
      It could, of course, be semi-staged.
      [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

      Comment

      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
        Gone fishin'
        • Sep 2011
        • 30163

        #4
        Berlioz and Musorgsky within a couple of nights of each other - marvellous.
        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

        Comment

        • BBMmk2
          Late Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 20908

          #5
          This should be very good!!
          Don’t cry for me
          I go where music was born

          J S Bach 1685-1750

          Comment

          • Darkbloom
            Full Member
            • Feb 2015
            • 706

            #6
            I can understand why Romeo gets performed so rarely (nothing to do with its quality, just difficult to place) but Faust hasn't been done for at least ten years at the Proms and I don't understand why. I think I was at the last one; Levine and the Boston SO, with an all but inaudible Jose van Dam as Mephistopheles.

            Comment

            • Petrushka
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 12250

              #7
              Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
              I can understand why Romeo gets performed so rarely (nothing to do with its quality, just difficult to place) but Faust hasn't been done for at least ten years at the Proms and I don't understand why. I think I was at the last one; Levine and the Boston SO, with an all but inaudible Jose van Dam as Mephistopheles.
              I was present at a 1989 Prom with Solti and the Chicago SO and Jose van Dam was one of the excellent soloists then too. I was lucky enough to creep into the morning rehearsal as well at a time when you could do such things. Watching Solti was a real education.

              The Damnation of Faust is one of those pieces I'm never quite sure about and haven't heard it in years.
              "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

              Comment

              • greenilex
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 1626

                #8
                Could a kind boarder post a link to the French libretto?

                You would be doing me a favour...

                Comment

                • Bryn
                  Banned
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 24688

                  #9
                  Originally posted by greenilex View Post
                  Could a kind boarder post a link to the French libretto?

                  You would be doing me a favour...
                  How about French and English?

                  Comment

                  • jayne lee wilson
                    Banned
                    • Jul 2011
                    • 10711

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Petrushka View Post
                    I was present at a 1989 Prom with Solti and the Chicago SO and Jose van Dam was one of the excellent soloists then too. I was lucky enough to creep into the morning rehearsal as well at a time when you could do such things. Watching Solti was a real education.

                    The Damnation of Faust is one of those pieces I'm never quite sure about and haven't heard it in years.
                    I recall taping that one on an Aiwa Ghettoblaster :: I had to keep the volume at zero to avoid comically audible tape-echo, only listening to it later - fell madly in love with the work then, from the very first melody, that great cinematic sweep across the plains - probably still my favourite Berlioz piece - just hope my vocal-averse ears can cope with it now...

                    Comment

                    • greenilex
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 1626

                      #11
                      Many thanks, Bryn.

                      Comment

                      • BBMmk2
                        Late Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 20908

                        #12
                        Has JEGGERS recorded this?
                        Don’t cry for me
                        I go where music was born

                        J S Bach 1685-1750

                        Comment

                        • Darkbloom
                          Full Member
                          • Feb 2015
                          • 706

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
                          Has JEGGERS recorded this?
                          Yes, about twenty years ago, from memory. Richard Leech as Faust, Gilles Cachemaille as Mephistopheles.

                          Comment

                          • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                            Gone fishin'
                            • Sep 2011
                            • 30163

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post
                            Yes, about twenty years ago, from memory. Richard Leech as Faust, Gilles Cachemaille as Mephistopheles.
                            Oh - was that ERATO? There's also the PHILIPS recordings, with ASvO:



                            (I've said before how I think JEGgers is much better in French repertoire than in German - his Berlioz is superb. This version uses modern instruments - was the other OR&R, D'bloom?)
                            [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                            Comment

                            • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                              Gone fishin'
                              • Sep 2011
                              • 30163

                              #15
                              Actually, the Leech, Cachemaille recording was with Dutoit and the Montreal SO
                              [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                              Comment

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