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I
started the Vinyl LP series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am
selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. The 101 Reel-to-Reel Tapes series is an extension of that collection. Inquire
for information here.
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Faust is a grand opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play, Faust et Marguerite, which was based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1. It debuted at the Théâtre Lyrique on the Boulevard du Temple in Paris on March 19, 1859.
The Devil has a great aria in Faust, Le veau d'or est toujours debout! (Song of the Golden Calf). The Soldier's Chorus is fun, happy and full of life; there is a video of the Kremlin Guard performing it and it is an interesting interpretation. It is slower, aggressive and threatening, almost scary.
But neither the Devil's song nor the Chorus are my favorites in this opera. My favorites are, Alerte ! alerte!, the final scene, and the finale which follows. They are outstanding! The final scene has the singers dramatically, constantly, shifting from one key to the next with intense emotion until you think they can't possibly get any more intense or go any higher. But they do and you go out of your mind with the beauty of the music! And if you're lucky enough to see a production that uses an organ in ADDITION to the orchestra, well . . . (links to music on YouTube below).
The Devil has a great aria in Faust, Le veau d'or est toujours debout! (Song of the Golden Calf). The Soldier's Chorus is fun, happy and full of life; there is a video of the Kremlin Guard performing it and it is an interesting interpretation. It is slower, aggressive and threatening, almost scary.
But neither the Devil's song nor the Chorus are my favorites in this opera. My favorites are, Alerte ! alerte!, the final scene, and the finale which follows. They are outstanding! The final scene has the singers dramatically, constantly, shifting from one key to the next with intense emotion until you think they can't possibly get any more intense or go any higher. But they do and you go out of your mind with the beauty of the music! And if you're lucky enough to see a production that uses an organ in ADDITION to the orchestra, well . . . (links to music on YouTube below).
Faust was rejected by the Paris Opera, on the grounds that it was not sufficiently "showy", and its appearance at the Théatre-Lyrique was delayed for a year because Adolphe d'Ennery's drama Faust was playing at the Porte St. Martin. When it was finally staged, in 1859, it was not well received.
However, when it was revived in Paris in 1862, it was a hit. A ballet had to be inserted before the work could be played at the Opéra
in 1869: it became the most frequently performed opera at that house
and a staple of the international repertory, which it remained for
decades, being translated into at least 25 languages.
Its popularity and critical reputation have declined somewhat since
around 1950. A full production, with its large chorus and elaborate sets
and costumes, is an expensive undertaking, particularly if the act 5
ballet is included. However, it appears as number 35 on the Operabase
list of the most-performed operas worldwide.
reel-to-reel tape box back
photo by Styrous®
It was Faust with which the Metropolitan Opera in New York City opened for the first time on October 22, 1883.
It is the eighth most frequently performed opera there, with 747
performances through the 2011-2012 season. It was not until the period
between 1965 and 1977 that the full version was performed (and then with
some minor cuts), and all performances in that production included the Walpurgisnacht and the ballet.
reel-to-reel tape box back detail
detail photo by Styrous®
Synposis
The action takes place in 16th Century Germany. during the German Renaissance. It is the story of of a man who sells his soul to the Devil
in exchange for knowledge and power. Gounod’s opera does not attempt to
match the thematic breadth or the philosophical sophistication of
Goethe’s sprawling masterpiece, concentrating instead on Faust’s
romantic encounter with Marguerite (Gretchen in Goethe’s drama) and the
tragic results of their liaison (link to complete synopsis below).
photo by Styrous®
The copy of the libretto
that came with the tape has yellowed with age with the form of the reel
emblazoned on it which gives it a strange depth effect.
Joan Sutherland first sang the role of Marguerite on March 9, 1965, with the Connecticut Opera, a professional, non-profit, opera company based in Hartford, Connecticut, and a member of OPERA America. The company closed in February of 2009, after 67 seasons.
Credits:
Baritone Vocals – Raymond Myers, Robert Massard
Bass Vocals – Nicolai Ghiaurov
Contralto Vocals – Monica Sinclair
Mezzo-soprano Vocals – Margreta Elkins
Soprano Vocals – Joan Sutherland
Tenor Vocals – Franco Corelli
Choir – The Choir Of Highgate School
Chorus – The Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Chorus Master – John McCarthy
Conductor – Richard Bonynge
Orchestra – The London Symphony Orchestra
Label: London Records – L 90172
Format: reel-to-reel tape
Country: USA
Released: 1970
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera
Format: reel-to-reel tape
Country: USA
Released: 1970
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera
libretto detail
detail photo by Styrous®
Links on the Net:
Joan Sutherland ~ excerpts from Donizetti ~ La fille du régiment
Joan Sutherland ~ excerpts from Mozart ~ Don Giovanni
Faust ~ Synopsis
Joan Sutherland ~ excerpts from Mozart ~ Don Giovanni
Faust ~ Synopsis
Faust ~ Roles
Links to music on YouTube:
Joan Sutherland ~ Jewel Song
Joan Sutherland ~ Alerte ! alerte! & Finale
Soldiers Chorus
Kremlin Guard ~ Soldiers' Chorus
final scene (Alerte! alerte!) Joan Sutherland ~ Alerte ! alerte! & Finale
Soldiers Chorus
Kremlin Guard ~ Soldiers' Chorus
Styrous® ~ Thursday, October 29, 2015
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