Le Damnation de Faust

Going to hell? See who else is already there

Comments (0) By Lee Williams Thursday, Nov 20 2008

Attention all Berlioz lovers — if you didn’t get enough with Houston Grand Opera’s production of Beatrice and Benedict earlier this fall, consider an afternoon with the Metropolitan Opera at a big-screen, live, high-definition simulcast of Hector Berlioz’s rarely staged La Damnation de Faust. The operatic contemplation of good and evil features a story that will crack the hardest heart. In Berlioz’s version, Faust gives up his soul so that he can rescue a good woman.

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The performance promises to be revolutionary, as it is directed by Robert Le-page, who’s worked with everyone from Peter Gabriel to Cirque du Soleil to Seiji Ozawa. Filled with scaffolding and cinematic projections, the tale moves from Faust’s small study to the bowels of Hell. It’s a grand affair, and Lepage is clearly up to the challenge. This production stars Marcello Giordani as Faust, opposite Susan Graham as Marguerite and John Relyea as Méphistophélès, with James Levine conducting. See it today at noon at various movie theaters around Houston. For information, visit www.metopera-family.org/metopera. $16 to $24.
Sat., Nov. 22, noon, 2008