Last night San Francisco Opera opened the summer theatrical season for 2010 with the performance of Charles Gounod’s opera, Faust, at the War Memorial Opera House. Faust is apparently Gounod’s masterpiece, an ultimate jewel in classic French Romantic opera, whose basic storyline has permeated into society in various forms over the ages. The musical story portrays Goethe’s forlorn philosopher who regains his youth by making a dubious deal with the Devil and looses everything in the end. Among the cast, three stars of the performance stood out. The devil had a marvelously deep and devilish bass-baritone voice, evidently played by a superbly sinister John Relyea acting as Méphistophélès. Stefano Secco starred in the title role alongside soprano Patricia Racette acting as Marguerite, the object of his desire.
Considering this opera is sung in French with English supertitles, be prepared for a fitful nap unless you know French. The orchestra and melodious singing will sooth anyone unprepared toward oblivion while the horribly uncomfortable and cramped seating will keep you coming back to attentiveness. The War Memorial Opera House is not one of San Francisco’s better venues. Still worth it. Thanks Kim!
Approximate running time: 3 hours, 45 minutes including two intermissions.