From Vienna to Polish movie screens: Bass Adam Pałka in a devilish Role in Gounod’s “Faust”
Audiences in selected cinemas across Poland will soon have the chance to see the 2021 production of Charles Gounod’s “Faust” from the Vienna State Opera – a staging created during the pandemic. Hailed by the media as “devilishly good,” the production captivates viewers not only with Frank Castorf’s daring direction but also with its “hellishly talented” cast.
Gounod’s opera, loosely based on the first part of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust,” is a lavish grand opéra in five acts. It tells the story of an aging scholar who longs to regain his youth and lost passion. He turns to the devil – Méphistophélès – and signs a pact with him, regaining his youthful appearance in return. As a young man, he seduces the innocent Marguerite, leading to the tragic downfall of her brother Valentin and of the girl herself. In the finale, Marguerite is redeemed, while Faust and the devil descend into damnation.
Castorf transposes this classic tale to the liberated Paris of the 1960s – a world of contrasts, desire and rebellion. His interpretation fuses the tradition of grand opéra with a contemporary theatrical language, creating a work that feels strikingly relevant and emotionally charged. Produced during the pandemic in 2021, it stands as one of the most compelling modern reinterpretations of Gounod’s masterpiece.
“Faust” remains one of the most frequently performed operas in history. Since its 1859 premiere, Gounod’s work has conquered stages from Paris and London to Milan and New York. Notably, the role of Méphistophélès was once made famous by Edward Reszke, the distinguished Polish bass of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this Vienna production, the part is performed by Polish bass Adam Pałka, one of the most acclaimed singers of his generation, alongside Juan Diego Flórez as Faust and Nicole Car as Marguerite. The performance is conducted by Bertrand de Billy, a renowned interpreter of the French repertoire.
Who? What? Where? When?
“Faust” by Charles Gounod
Encore screenings:
October 29 and November 15 – Multikino cinemas
November 2 and 19 – Cinema City