[Met Performance] CID:208650



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, November 28, 1966




Faust (610)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
John Alexander

Marguerite
Teresa Stratas

Méphistophélès
Justino Díaz

Valentin
William Walker

Siebel
Marcia Baldwin

Marthe
Shirley Love

Wagner
Russell Christopher

Dance
Ivan Allen

Dance
Sally Brayley

Dance
Patricia Heyes

Dance
Tania Karina

Dance
Donald Mahler

Dance
Naomi Marritt

Dance
Nira Paaz

Dance
Howard Sayette


Conductor
Georges Prêtre







Review 1:

Review of Raymond Ericson in The New York Times

YOUNG CAST BRINGS RADIANCE TO "FAUST"

It was the season's seventh "Faust" at the Metropolitan Opera last night. Where a tired performance might have been expected, a radiant one turned up, thanks to a cast of gifted, personable young Americans with beautiful fresh voices.

The term American is stretched slightly to include Teresa Stratas, the Canadian who sang Marguerite, and Justino Diaz of Puerto Rico, who sang Mephistopheles. The other singers were John Alexander as Faust, William Walker as Valentin, Marcia Baldwin as Siebel, Shirley Love as Marthe and Russell Christopher as Wagner.

Miss Stratas had not sung her role with this company before. The petite soprano looked remarkably fetching in her blond wig and she acted with her particular quality of making every emotion seem to come straight from the heart. She moved with a fine simplicity, and expressions flickered across her face with superb conviction. Her Jewel Song may not have been a model of technical virtuosity, but she made the musical phrases count dramatically here as in everything else she sang.

One might quibble about some of the poorly enunciated French text, but not about the mellifluous voices lavished on the Gounod melodies, which the conductor, Georges Prêtre, allowed to spin out in a loving performance. Even the traditionally restless Monday-night audience often sat spellbound.



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