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FAUST at WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA
The Washington National Opera’s Faust is a triple header treat: Goethe’s literary classic set to Gounod’s lush operatic music, performed with Houston Grand Opera’s lavish sets reminiscent of masterpieces from art museums.
The red and black scrim gives the first hint that there is something of the devil to come. In the opening scene, Faust (tenor Marcelo Puente) resembles the Philosopher in Meditation in a dark portrait attributed to Rembrandt.   
Mephistopheles (bass Raymond Aceto) appears with the magic portion for him to drink for youthful fun filled life and a contract to sign for his eternal damnation.   What follows are festive scenes of villagers which remind of  Bruegel’s detailed busy depictions of peasant life.  There is even included in the background a morality play of Adam and Eve and the devil in the Garden of Eden being staged at the rural festivities alongwith the big heads carried by parading revelers.
In another garden, Marguerite (soprano Erin Wall) appears at her spinning wheel, a dedicated and patient women, so like Cowper (the last of the Pre-Raphaelites) painting of Margaret at the Spinning Wheel.
Throughout there are passages hinting that Gounod writes religious music, but in the final scenes we can be sure when in a vast darkened cathedral, Marguerite seeks forgiveness. The earthly interpretations of religion that condemns her to hell is re-enforced by the power of the booming organ music.  On the altar, lies  a dead body—is it her brother killed in a duel with Faust or is it a life like Spanish Baroque polychromed statue of Christ? 
She must endure the worst a human can—a life turned hell on earth— the deceptions of love and the guilt of having killed her child, madness, imprisonment and execution.  The final scene does not just have her walk on a man made constructed stairway to heaven assisted by angels, but rather through ascending clouds, floating upwards into the sun and brightness of rainbow lights, that is what is salvation. 
This is the Houston Grand Opera set and costumes designed by artist Earl V. Staley and lighting designer Michael Clark. Truly an art work in itself!
Noteworthy in this performance are baritones Joshua Hopkins as Valentin and Samson McCrady as Wagner and  mezzo sopranos Allegra De Vita as Siebel and Deborah Nanstreele as Dame Marthe.
Faust at Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center, March 2019-a  memorable performance of Faust  to please both the ears and the eyes. 

(Photo credit Scott Suchman)

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