La Damnation de Faust

La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz, premiered in 1846, is not an opera in the traditional sense, but a dramatic oratorio or a dramatic legend for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Loosely inspired by Goethe’s Faust, this hybrid work defies the lyrical conventions of its time, oscillating between oratorio and opera without settling into a clearly defined stage form.

What gives this work its profound appeal is above all the evocative power of Berlioz’s music, with its exceptional orchestral and emotional richness. From the opening bars, the score captures Faust’s wandering soul, and Berlioz excels at rendering his metaphysical torment in music. Passages such as the “Hungarian March”, the love scene between Faust and Marguerite, and the terrifying final infernal ride all showcase a visionary orchestral genius—at once sensual, dramatic, and innovative.

At its Paris premiere, the work was a resounding failure: deemed too strange, too ambitious, it left audiences bewildered. Yet one striking anecdote marks its rehabilitation: in 1893 at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, it was staged for the first time with full scenery. The result was stunning, especially during Faust’s descent into hell, prompting a standing ovation that led some critics to say Berlioz had been right… fifty years ahead of his time.

Today, La Damnation de Faust is recognised as a full-fledged Romantic masterpiece, emblematic of Berlioz’s visionary modernity.
Come and experience this gem of lyrical art on the stage of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, in a production directed by Silvia Costa, who offers a poetic and striking interpretation.

You’ll hear four exceptional voices: French tenor Benjamin Bernheim as Faust, mezzo-soprano Viktoria Karkacheva as Marguerite, American bass Christian Van Horn as Méphistophélès, and baritone-bass Thomas Dolié as Brander.

A true masterpiece!

La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz is a uniquely hybrid dramatic work blending elements of oratorio, opera, and cantata. Inspired by Goethe, it tells the desperate quest of Faust, an ageing scholar disillusioned with life. He is first captivated by the beauty of nature, but his boredom persists. Méphistophélès, the embodiment of the devil, offers him a pact: in exchange for his soul, he will grant him youth and love.

Faust agrees and meets Marguerite, a pure young woman whom he seduces and then abandons, leading to her downfall. Tormented by remorse, he tries to save her, but he is dragged into hell by Méphistophélès, while Marguerite is welcomed into heaven.

Berlioz’s music masterfully accompanies each stage: the peasant choruses, the Hungarian March, the demonic serenade, and the poignant aria of Marguerite (“D’amour l’ardente flamme”). The orchestration, bold and expressive, emphasises the duality between ecstasy and damnation, nature and the supernatural, love and ruin.

The work fascinates every time with its dramatic intensity and musical richness.
Come and see what happens to Faust on the stage of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.