Intense ‘Faust’ Concludes Festival Opera Season

By Eman Isadiar

Walnut Creek, CA – Festival Opera music director Michael Morgan concluded the season on August 16 with a dazzling performance of Faust by French composer Charles Gounod. Tenor Brian Thorsett appeared in the title role opposite soprano Kristin Clayton, who sang the part of Marguerite. Bass Kirk Eichelberger and baritone Eugene Brancoveanu appeared respectively as Mephistopheles and Valentin.

Before the performance, Morgan acknowledged his board of directors from the stage for maintaining the number of productions this year despite the tough economic times. While most performing arts organizations are reducing performances, Festival Opera seems to be moving full-steam ahead. Puccini’s Turandot opened the season last month.

The opera is largely based on the play of the same name by Goethe, and tells the story of an old scholar, Faust, who accepts eternal servitude to the devil in the next world in return for youth and love in this one. The object of his affection is Marguerite, who is known to all not only for her beauty, but also for purity and virtue.

Act I. Brian Thorsett (Faust), Kirk Eichelberger (Méphistophélès) Photo by Robert Shomler

With his newfound youth and charm, Faust manages to seduce and impregnate Marguerite soon after her protective brother Valentin ships off to war. Upon his return, Valentin is consumed with rage when he discovers the affair and attacks Faust, but is fatally stabbed.

While villagers gather around and implore Valentin to forgive Marguerite in his final moments, he shows no mercy and condemns her while drawing his final breath.

Apparently having killed her child, Marguerite awaits execution in prison. Aided by Mephistopheles, Faust offers to help Marguerite escape, but is shunned by her. She finds divine redemption and a chorus of angels sings as she mounts the scaffold to her death. Faust is once again alone and realizes he must now pay the ultimate price.

Making his company debut, Brian Thorsett proved to be a strikingly gifted tenor, with a deeply moving, resonant and unblemished voice. One of the opera’s brightest moments was Thorsett’s “Chaste et pure”, in which Faust expresses his longing for Marguerite.

Kristin Clayton sang the part of Marguerite with stellar acting and rare talent. A memorable scene of the opera was Clayton’s rendition of “Si belle en ce miroir”, where Marguerite admires her own reflection adorned by Faust’s jewels.

Act II. Kristin Clayton (Marguerite) Photo: Robert Shomler for Festival Opera

In his short-lived moments on stage Eugene Brancoveanu was simply brilliant. His voice has the kind of carrying power that few others possess and many sigh for in vain. As Mephistopheles, Kirk Eichelberger truly did justice to the dark figure of the underworld, and lent much credibility to the production as a whole.

Appearing in the supporting roles of Siebel and Wagner, soprano Erin Neff and baritone Zachary Gordin each gave a strong performance.

Another important feature of this opera was the expressive choreography of Mark Foehringer and his six nimble dancers. As always, the chorus added great depth and dimension to the production thanks to director James Toland.

The orchestra and stage direction were simply flawless under the direction of Oakland East Bay Symphony conductor Michael Morgan, known affectionately by his fans as “MoMo.”

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Eman Isadiar teaches piano at the Peninsula Conservatory and writes about music in the San Francisco Bay Area