Is the freedom of youth worth an eternity in hell? It is to the aging Faust, who makes a pact with Mephistopheles to exchange his soul for Earth’s mortal pleasures. With his youth restored, Faust woos the lovely Marguerite, with disastrous consequences. Faust’s salvation is tragically bound to others, including those he loves most.                                           

Reworking the legend popularized by Goethe, Gounod’s Faust focuses on the love story elevating the significance of Marguerite’s fall and ultimate salvation. With its memorable and moving melodies, it is not surprising that Faust solidified the reputation of Charles Gounod and remains, with Bizet’s Carmen, one of the most widely produced French operas in the world.