The Damnation of Faust

At the head of the Orchestre de l'Opéra Normandie Rouen, conductor Pierre Dumoussaud is tackling a fascinating myth that has captivated many artists before him: that of Faust, in the version created by Berlioz, featuring a cast of singers specialized in the French repertoire.

From Goethe to Gérard de Nerval, the story of this Damnation of Faust is also one of a reinterpretation, a choice that elevates the narrative to the level of a myth set to music. In the purest tradition of sacred oratorio, Berlioz creates a work where the staging and visual universe of Guillaume Marmin enhance its powerful evocativeness, rich in colors, rhythms, and melodies that characterize the French style of the era. The choir occupies a prominent place, embodying in turn demons, villagers, or all manner of fantastic creatures. These shifting figures blur the boundaries between the real and the imaginary, as in all good stories…

Musical Direction Pierre Dumoussaud

Concept, visual creation Guillaume Marmin

Faust Julien Henric

Marguerite Eugénie Joneau

Méphistophélès Jérôme Boutillier

Brander François Lis

Orchestre de l’Opéra Normandie Rouen

Chœur accentus / Opéra Orchestre Normandie Rouen

Hector Berlioz The Damnation of Faust

Drama in four parts

Libretto by Almire Gandonnière and Hector Berlioz,

after Goethe's Faust

Premiered in Paris in 1846

Practical Information: 

All audiences

Duration: 2h45

Ticket price: from €10 to €74

In French with surtitles

Cooperation United Kingdom / Norway / Denmark / France