Faust

Jonas Kaufmann may be the title character and Marina Poplavskaya is Marguerite in Des McAnuffs update of Gounods Faust in the Met. A Metropolitan Opera-British National Opera co-manufacture of an opera in five functions (two intermissions) by Charles Gounod. Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre. Conductor, Yannick Nezet-Seguin director, Des McAnuff.Faust - Jonas Kaufmann Mephistopheles - Rene Pape Marguerite - Marina Poplovskaya Valentin - Russell Braun Siebel - Michele Losier Marthe - Wendy Whitened Wagner - Jonathan BeyerFew would reason that Charles Gounod's 1859 operatic version from the familiar "Faust" tale is any type of masterpiece, yet it remains a perennially popular staple of opera's repertoire. The November. 29 perf in the Met was its 734th in the theater, this time around inside a new production by Broadway director Des McAnuff ("Jersey Boys," the approaching "Jesus Celebrity") in the Met debut. McAnuff's approach of upgrading the storyline to simply after World war 2 smacks of deja-vu instead of quality or originality, but regardless of this, the director's concept adds contemporary emergency to some work that may frequently feel dated and superficial. A co-production with British National Opera initially mounted this past year, McAnuff's staging makes Faust a explosive device-building nuclear physicist and flashes to his youth in The First World War. But since the Met lately staged John Adams' "Dr. Atomic," in regards to a similar subject within the same era, the update includes a been-there, done-that feel into it. Besides, McAnuff's concept does not fit perfectly using the original libretto or with Gounod's decidedly old-fashioned score. May be the guilt Faust feels a direct result his seduction and abandonment of Marguerite, or perhaps is it because of his role within the invention from the atomic explosive device? Most of the time, Gounod's romantic tunes appear to become saying one factor and McAnuff's dark staging another. Still, these incongruities raise questions and concepts that prevent "Faust" from falling into its usual of a routine. Matters will also be assisted by conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, whose alert pacing helps make the the majority of Gounod's appealing tunes and does much to enliven the score's numerous slow, arid stretches. Robert Brill's unit set is really a large, dark science lab flanked by towering spiral stairs and supported by huge video screens, where frequently appear moving images (created by Sean Nieuwenhuis) of cloudscapes, flourishing roses and, inevitably, the explosion from the atomic explosive device. Costume designer Paul Tazewell clothes the nineteen forties chorus in starched whitened lab jackets the The First World War-era chorus in understated civilian and military dress. Faust and Mephistopheles obtain the showiest clothes: they sport nicely-customized ice-cream suits and tuxes, using the Demon also getting his due in gaudily high-moving pimp and mafia-don attire. Matinee-idol tenor Jonas Kaufmann is at fine vocal form on opening evening as Faust, modulating dynamics with enormously sexy energy and control. His stage presence sometimes appeared uncharacteristically stiff this would improve because the run of performances continues. Met audiences have previously seen Rene Pape's Mephistopheles inside a previous, not successful 2005 staging by Andrei Serban the artist once more plays the role with masterful charisma and wit. Russell Braun is really a winning, firm-voiced Valentin, and Michele Losier lavished her wealthy lyric mezzo around the trouser role of Siebel, while well resembling the physical clumsiness of the teenage boy. The weak link is soprano Marina Poplovskaya as Marguerite. Even though Lillian Gish-like quality of her stage movement was arresting, her hollow, unevenly-created seem, insufficient fluidity and limpy phrasing put a vocal hole where this opera's heart ought to be.Arranged designer, Robert Brill, costume designer, Paul Tazewell lighting designer, Peter Mumford video designer, Seam Nieuwenhuis. Opened up and examined November. 29, 2011. Running time: 3 Hrs, 45 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com