Opera title: | Faust |
Composer: | Charles Gounod |
Language: | French |
Synopsis: | Faust Synopsis |
Libretto: | Faust Libretto |
Translation(s): | English Deutsch |
Type: | recitative,choir |
Role(s): | Méphistophélès / Marguerite / Ghosts / Nuns |
Voice(s): | Bass-Baritone / Soprano |
Act: | 4.03 |
Previous scene: | Marguerite Siebel encore des pleurs |
Next scene: | Déposons les armes |
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Paris Opera live 16/3/1996
Marguerite: Renée Fleming
Méphistophélès: Willard White
Condcutor: Yves Abel
Singing starts 1:50
Gounod's Faust is a bit of an insubstantial opera and aside from this scene and couple of the arias I find it rather thin and bland. This scene has such incredible atmosphere though (despite being of spurious dramatic importance!) and is an undoubted highlight. Fleming is on wonderful form vocally, and puts her voice to incredible use in conveying Marguerite's fear of and resistance to Mephistopheles. It's a searing performance and quite the best I've ever heard this scene. Both the chest voice and top are incredibly full, vibrant and expressive, and wonderful moments like (5:00-5:20), which some consider transgressions of proper style (in Gounod!?) later got ironed out by disapproving vocal coaches in her subsequent performances of the opera in Chicago and at the Met. Willard White has made a speciality of bad guy bass roles like this, and he is in his prime here. The orchestral and choral support offered by the Paris opera with Yves Abel is wonderfully characterful and accurate - the number of live performances where this scene is sloppy is legion!
The photo is a little misleading as it shows Fleming with Hvorostovsky who is playing Valentin in the 1996 Chicago production! But it shows Fleming in the right role and right year at least - I couldn't find any photos from the Paris production.
MARGUERITE
vient et s'agenouille près d'un pilier.
Seigneur, daignez permettre à votre humble servante
De s'agenouiller devant vous!
LA VOIX DE MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Non!
Tu ne prieras pas! ... Frappez-la d'épouvante!
Esprits du mal, accourez tous!
CHŒUR DE DÉMONS
Marguerite!
MARGUERITE
Qui m'appelle?
CHŒUR DE DÉMONS
Marguerite!
MARGUERITE
Je chancelle! Je meurs!
Dieu bon! Dieu clément!
Est-ce déjà l'heure du châtiment?
MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Non,
Dieu pour toi n'a plus de pardon!
Le ciel n'a plus d'aurore! Non, ... non!
CHANT RELIGIEUX
Que dirai-je alors au Seigneur?
Où trouverai'je un protecteur,
Quand l'innocent n'est pas sans peur!
MARGUERITE
Ah! ce chant m'étouffe et m'oppresse!
Je suis dans un cercle de fer!
MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Adieu les nuits d'amour et les jour pleins d'ivresse!
A toi malheur! ... à toi l'enfer!
Il disparait.
MARGUERITE ET LE CHŒUR RELIGIEUX
Seigneur, accueillez la prière,
Des cœurs malheureux!
Qu'un rayon de votre lumière
Descende sur eux!
LA VOIX DE MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Marguerite!
Sois maudite!
MARGUERITE
pousse un cri et tombe évanouie sur les dalles.
Ah!
LA VOIX DE MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
A toi l'enfer!
MARGUERITE
kneeling down
Lord, allow your humble servant
To come and kneel before you!
MEPHISTOPHELES
No! You shall not pray! Strike her with terror!
Spirits of evil, hasten here!
DEMONS
Marguerite!
MARGUERITE
Who is calling me?
DEMONS
Marguerite!
MARGUERITE
I falter! I die!
Dear God! Merciful God!
Is it already the hour of retribution?
MEPHISTOPHELES
No! God no longer forgives you!
The sky no longer dawns for you!
No! No!
INVISIBLE CHORUS
What shall I tell the Lord then?
Where shall I find a protector
When the innocent himself stands in fear!
MARGUERITE
Ah, this chant stifles and chokes me!
I am clamped in an iron band!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Farewell, nights of love and days of rapture!
A curse on you! Hell awaits you!
MARGUERITE
Lord!
MARGUERITE and INVISIBLE CHORUS
Lord, welcome the prayer
Of unhappy hearts.
May one spark of your light
Shine down on them!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Marguerite!
Be accursed!
Hell awaits you!
Sheetmusic for recitative | ![]() |
Sheetmusic for opera | ![]() |
MP3's for this recitative | on Amazon.com |
DVD/CD's for this opera | on Amazon.com |