The role of Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust will be a main feature of French bass-barihunk's 2019 season, as he takes on the devilish role twice in the first part of the year.
From February 10-21, he'll perform the role at Opéra de Marseille with fellow barihunk Étienne Dupuis as Valentin. The cast also includes Nicole Car as Marguerite, Jean-François Borras and Jean-Pierre Furlan rotating the role of Faust, Philippe Ermelier as Wagner and Kévin Amiel as Siebel.
Then from May 22-28, he travels 159 kilometers down the road to Opéra de Nice where he'll be joined by Armando Noguera as Valentin, Stefano Secco as Faust, Nathalie Manfrino as Marguerite, Philippe Ermelier as Wagner and Camille Tresmontant as Siebel.
The final scene from Faust with Nicolai Ghiaurov, Joan Sutherland and Franco Correlli:
Gounod's libretto is based loosely on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part One. It debuted at the Théâtre Lyrique on the Boulevard du Temple in Paris on March 19, 1859. After its successful debut, it traveled to Germany, Belgium, Italy and England.
The opera opened the original Metropolitan Opera on October 22, 1883 and went on to become one of the most popular operas in the house, having received 753 performances to date.
In between performances, of Gounod's Faust, Courjal will sing the role of Bertram in Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable at La Monnaie with an all-star cast headed by soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Dimitry Korchak.
You can watch Ildar Abdrazakov as Méphistophélès from the Salzburg Festival on August 23, 2016 at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST on Medici.tv. The production also stars Piotr Beczala as Faust, Maria Agresta as Marguerite, Alexey Markov as Valentin, as Tara Erraught as Siébel and Marie-Ange Todorovitch as Marthe. The new production is staged by Reinhard von der Thannen and conducted by Argentinian Alejo Pérez.
Italian barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo is starring in director Philipp Stölzl’s psychologically gripping production of Gounod's Faust at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Stölzl, who has also directed Wagner's Rienzi and Parifal with the company, has also made his name in film. He directed
“North Face,” “Goethe!” and “The Physician,” as well as music videos for Madonna and Garbage.
There are additional performances on June 27 and 30, and July 2 and 5.
Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Méphistophélès
After Faust, D'Arcangelo heads to Verona to perform the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni. In November, he returns to Berlin to perform the Count in Le nozze di Figaro at the Staatsoper with fellow barihunks Lauri Vasar as Figaro and Olaf Bär as Antonio.
We kind of introduced American barihunk three years ago while he was at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, when we featured him in a photo of students mocking a Vanity Fair spread of famous opera singers. However, it was just pointed out to us that we've actually never profiled the lyric baritone as we have Scott Conner and Wes Mason, who also appeared in the photo.
We just learned that he's been cast as Valentin in Gounod's Faust at the Michigan Opera Theater with Matt Boehler as Méphistophélès, which is running from May 9-17. This will be his debut with the company.
In the 2013/14 season, Viscardi performed
Torero in Osvaldo Golijov'sAinadamar and Abdallo in Verdi's Nabucco with Opera Philadelphia, and made his debuts with the
Shreveport and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. He was also featured soloist
in “Eve and Friends” with Maestro Eve Queler at Alice Tully Hall, and
an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera. One of our favorite events was a joint concert with fellow barihunk Wes Mason in Philadelphia.
His repertoire includes Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the title role in Billy Budd, Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, and Yeletsky in Pique Dame.
(l-r) Alexandra Maximova, Scott Conner, Maria Aleida, Nelson Ebo, Wes Mason, John Viscardi, and Chrystal Williams
Previous seasons have showcased Viscardi in Babes in Toyland as the Toy Soldier in his Lincoln Center debut at Avery Fisher Hall, as Prunier in La Rondine with Des Moines Metro Opera, The Dancing Master and Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Lensky in Eugene Onegin with Opera Naples.
His awards include 4th place in the 2014 Giulio Gari Foundation Vocal Competition, Audience Favorite in the 2014 Annapolis Opera’s Vocal Competition, receipt of Santa Fe Opera’s 2013 Anna Case McKay Memorial Award, the Bertha Koempel Award in the 2012 Liederkranz Foundation Competition, a 2012 George London Foundation encouragement award, the Lys Symonette Award from the 2011 Kurt Weill Foundation- Lotte Lenya Competition, 2nd Place Prize in the 2011 Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, 1st place in the 2010 Mario Lanza Scholarship Competition, and 3rd place in the 2010 Giargiari Bel Canto Competition.
If there is an earthquake in Ecuador tonight, it's probably been caused by the booming bass of Kevin Thompson. He's making his role debut as Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust at the Fundación Teatro Nacional Sucre. The performance also marks his South American debut. Performances run through November 17th.
The 6'5" American singer just wrapped up performances as the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlo at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the roles of Crespel, Schlemil, and Luther in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmannat Knoxville Opera.
You can catch him back in the United States when he performs Handel's Messiah in Washington D.C. at the Smithsonian Institute's Hirschorn Gallery on December 15th.
Today we celebrate Charles Gounod's Faust, which premiered on March 19, 1859. We love the opera because it is one of a select group of operas that can feature three barihunks in a single evening. The roles of Méphistophélès, Valentin and Wagner are all cast with baritones. Méphistophélès is often cast with devilishly sexy baritones like John Relyea, Rene Pape or James Morris.
The opera got off to a rough start, initially being rejected by the Paris Opera and then not quite catching on with the public. It was revived in 1862 with a ballet added for the Parisians and became an instant hit. It has gone on to become one of the most popular operas in the standard repertory, opened the original Metropolitan Opera in 1883 and has been translated into 25 languages. It is currently the 35th most performed opera in the world.
Rene Pape sings Méphistophélès' aria "Le Veau d'Or":
The opera is loosely inspired by Goethe’s legendary story and timeless tale of the devil (Méphistophélès) who appears to the old scholar Faust, promising him the elixir of youth in exchange for his soul. Faust is transformed into a young, handsome man and sets out with his devious companion to experience the pleasures of the world. Faust seduces the beautiful and innocent Marguerite, only to abandon her before she gives birth to his child. Her reputation destroyed, but not beyond redemption, Marguerite calls upon the angels for salvation. Faust receives no such escape and is condemned to his devilish fate in this spiritual conflict between heaven and hell.
Gino Quilico sings Valentin's aria "Avant de quiter ces lieux":
Some of the greatest singers ever have taken on the role of Méphistophélès, including George London, Rene Pape, Sam Ramey, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Jerome Hines, John Relyea, Bryn Terfel, Boris Christoff, Jose Van Dam and Feodor Chaliapin.
Other famous operas based on the same story include Boito's "Mefistofele," Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust," and Busoni's "Doktor Faust." Boito's opera is probably closest to Goethe's original story.
There was some concern when the opera first premiered, as French censors were worried that church officials would be highly offended by the appearance of the devil in a church. Gounod invited a concerned clergyman to attend a rehearsal of the scene. The clergyman declared that he found the scene not at all offensive and, in fact, was quite complimentary of it. The censors were mollified and the scene was allowed. Gounod never told them that the clergyman was blind and could not tell that the scene took place inside a church. The "Church scene" from Gounod's opera, in which Méphistophélès torments the already distraught and guilty Marguerite by telling her that she is eternally damned for giving herself to Faust, is the dramatic crux of Gounod's opera.
The final trio from Faust with Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Erwin Schrott:
Although this site is dedicated to baritones, we'd be remiss to not show you this clip of tenor Alfredo Kraus singing Faust, which is one of the great moments in recorded operatic history.
