[Met Performance] CID:83160



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, February 8, 1923




Faust (329)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
Edward Johnson

Marguerite
Frances Alda

Méphistophélès
Léon Rothier

Valentin
Giuseppe Danise

Siebel
Ellen Dalossy

Marthe
Kathleen Howard

Wagner
Paolo Ananian


Conductor
Louis Hasselmans


Director
Wilhelm Von Wymetal

Designer
Joseph Urban





Faust received four performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of Frank H. Warren in the World

Gounod's 'Faust' Is Sung for First Time This Year at Metropolitan

As a composer Gounod has been quite in the running this season at the Metropolitan with his musical setting of "Romeo et Juliette." But the versatile Frenchman had something in reserve, for his "Faust" - the world's most popular opera - was not brought forward by Mr. Gatti-Casazza until the opera's thirteenth week, perhaps as a spur to the second half of the season. At any rate, it took its place in the Metropolitan's repertoire last evening and was welcomed by a good-sized audience.

Boito's musical treatment of Goethe's drama, given in Italian, was distinguished earlier in the year by Chaliapin's sensational assumption of the role of the Devil. Mme. Alda last evening, in the Gounod version, took Miss Farrar's old role, Leon Rothier was Mephistopheles, and Edward Johnson, the tenor, whose star has been somewhat in the ascendant this season, sang Faust for the first time here. Mme. Alda is not a stranger as Marguerite. Her dramatic conception of the part is conventional enough, but vocally last night she was frequently at odds with the pitch and her singing lacked the color and depth the music calls for.

Mr. Johnson's Faust is not one of his happiest roles. His Romeo, as shown at a recent performance, was a delight, but his Faust is not in the same class. His singing is agreeable, but eloquence and elegance are missing. Mr. Rothier was a polished Beelzebub, Miss Dalossy a fair Siebel, Kathleen Howard a flirtation Marthe, Mr. Annian a sterling Wagner and Mr. Danise a thoroughly satisfying Valentin; in fact, his singing was the best of the evening. Mention should be made of the various bits of new stage business that occupied the attention of the chorus. There was a human touch about it all.



Search by season: 1922-23

Search by title: Faust,



Met careers