Doktor Faust

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Doktor Faust is an opera by Ferruccio Busoni with a libretto by the composer himself based on the myth of Faust. Busoni worked on the opera, which he intended as his masterpiece, between 1916 and 1924, but it was still incomplete at the time of his death. His pupil Philipp Jarnach produced a version which was premiered at the Sachsiches Staatstheater, Dresden on 21 May 1925. More recently, Anthony Beaumont has completed the opera using sketches by Busoni which were previously thought to have been lost. Nancy Chamness has published an analysis of the libretto to Doktor Faust and a comparison with Goethe's original.^[1]

The UK stage premiere was at English National Opera in 1986.^[2] In the US, New York City Opera in 1992 and the Metropolitan Opera in 2001 have staged productions.^{[3] [4]}

Contents 1 Synopsis 1.1 Prologue I 1.2 Prologue II 1.3 Intermezzo 1.4 Scene I 1.5 Scene II 1.6 Scene III 2 Selected recordings 3 References 4 Sources

[edit] Synopsis

The opera contains two Prologues, an Intermezzo, and three Scenes.

[edit] Prologue I

Wittenberg, Germany, during the Middle Ages.

Faust is Rector Magnificus of the university. While he is working on an experiment in his laboratory, Wagner, his pupil, brings word of three students from Krakow, who have arrived unannounced to give Faust a book on black magic, Clavis Astartis Magica (The Key to the Magic of Astarte). Faust reflects on the power that will soon be his. The students come on stage, and tell him that this book is for him. When Faust asks what he must give in return, they say only "Later". He then asks whether he will see them again, and they respond "Perhaps." They then depart. Wagner reappears, and after questioning from Faust, tells his teacher that he saw no one enter or leave. Faust concludes that these visitors were supernatural.

[edit] Prologue II

Midnight that same evening.

Faust opens the book and follows its directions. He makes a circle on the floor, steps into and calls upon Lucifer to appear. A pale light is seen around the room, and then unseen voices materialize. Faust then wishes, as his 'Will', for spirits at his beck and call. Five flames appear, servants of Lucifer, but Faust is not impressed at their claims of speed. The sixth flame/voice, Mephistopheles, claims that "I am as swift as the thoughts of man" ("als wie des Menschen Gedanke"). Faust then accepts Mephistopheles as a servant. He demands that all his wishes be granted, to have all knowledge and the power of genius. Mephistopheles, in return, says that Faust must serve him after death, which Faust recoils from at first. Mephistopheles reminds Faust that his creditors and enemies are at the door. With Faust's approval, Mephistopheles causes them to fall, dead. Then, with the chorus in the distance singing a 'Credo' on Easter morning, Faust signs the pact in blood, wondering what has become of his 'Will'. He faints upon realizing that he has forfeited his soul. Mephistopheles gleefully takes the contract in hand.

[edit] Intermezzo

By this point, Faust has seduced the maiden Gretchen. At a chapel, her brother, a soldier, prays to find and punish the violator of his sister's honour. Mephistopheles points out the soldier to Faust, who wants to kill him, but not with his own hands. Mephistopheles disguises himself as a monk and offers to hear the Soldier's confession. A military patrol, surreptitiously directed by Mephistopheles, enters and kills the Soldier, claiming that the soldier had murdered their captain. The soldier's death is then to weigh on Faust's conscience.

[edit] Scene I

The Ducal Park of Parma, Italy

The wedding ceremony for the Duke and Duchess of Parma is in process. The Master of Ceremonies announces a guest, the famous magician Dr. Faust. Faust enters with his herald (Mephistopheles). The Duchess is immediately smitten with Faust; the Duke surmises that "Hell has sent him here." Faust alters the atmosphere to night to be able to perform his magic feats. The first, at the Duchess' request, is vision of King Solomon and Queen Balkis, who respectively resemble Faust and the Duchess. Second is Samson and Delilah. Third is John the Baptist with Salome. An Executioner (looking like the Duke) threatens the Baptist (resembling Faust), but the Duchess cries out that the Baptist must be saved. In an aside, Faust asks the Duchess to run off with him, but she is hesitant, if willing. The Duke declares the magic show concluded and announces supper. Mephistopheles warns Faust to flee, since the food is poisoned. The Duchess returns to tell Faust that she will accompany him. Mephistopheles, disguised as a court chaplain, returns with the Duke and advises him against chasing down Faust and the Duchess. Instead, he advises the Duke to marry the sister of the Duke of Ferrara, who is threatening war on the Duke of Parma.

[edit] Scene II

At a tavern in Wittenberg

Some students talk of Plato and metaphysics, with Faust present. After Faust has responded to a question by saying that "Nothing is proven, and nothing is provable", with a citation of Martin Luther, the Catholic and Protestant students break into quarrel. Once that has subsided, Faust recalls his affair with the Duchess. Mephistopheles, disguised as a courier, brings the news that she has died and sent a gift to Faust. This is a baby's corpse, and Mephistopheles tosses it at Faust's feet. Mephistopheles tells the students of Faust's seduction of the Duchess, and subsequent abandonment. Mephistopheles then changes the dead infant into a bundle of straw and sets fire to it, from which comes a vision of Helen of Troy. The students recoil, and Mephistopheles departs. Faust attempts to embrace the vision, but it eludes him. In her place instead, the three Krakow students materialize, to demand the return of the magic book. Faust tells them that he has destroyed it. The students then tell him that he will die at at the stroke of midnight.

[edit] Scene III

A Wittenberg street, in the snow, outside the church.

Mephistopheles, in disguise as a Night Watchman, announces that it is eleven o'clock. Wagner, the successor to Faust as university Rector and now resident in Faust's former home, says good-night to a group of students. Faust enters, alone, and sees his old home. Voices from the church sing of judgment and salvation. Faust wants to try to redeem himself with one final good deed. He sees a beggar woman with a child, and realizes that she is the Duchess. She hands him the child, tells him that there is still time to complete his work before midnight, then vanishes. Faust then tries to enter the church, but the Soldier (from the Intermezzo) materializes to block his path. Faust tries to pray, but cannot remember the words. From the light of the Night Watchman's lamp, Faust sees the figure of the crucified Christ metamorphose into that of Helen of Troy, and he feels that he is damned. In parallel with Prologue I, Faust forms a circle on the ground. He then steps into it with the child's body and bequeaths it his own 'Will'. As his spirit transfers to the infant, Faust dies. The Night Watchman announces calls out the midnight hour. A youth then appears from where the child's body had been. Mephistopheles, as the Night Watchman, sees Faust on the ground, and asks "Has this man met with some misfortune?" ("Sollte dieser Mann verunglückt sein?").

[edit] Selected recordings

• Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, William Cochran, Hildegard Hillebrecht, Anton de Ridder, Karl Christian Kohn; Bavarian Radio Chorus; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; Ferdinand Leitner, conductor (Deutsche Grammophon; Jarnach version, taken from live performances, with cuts to the score)^{[5] [6]}
• Dietrich Henschel, Kim Begley, Torsten Kerl, Eva Jenisova, Detlef Roth, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (speaker); Orchestre et Choeur de l'Opéra National de Lyon; Kent Nagano, conductor (Erato; Beaumont edition, with choice of Jarnach or Beaumont final scene via CD player programming)

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• Booklet notes to the Nagano recording by Pascal Huynh
• The Viking Opera Guide edited by Amanda Holden (Viking, 1993)