Classical Music Milestone: December 6
It was not successful in its first performance, one reason was due to its being midway between opera and cantata. The composer was deeply hurt by the unsatisfactory critical acclaim and public indifference at the time. However, since its first successful complete performance in concert in Paris, 1877, La Damnation de Faust has been regularly performed in concert halls.
The Metropolitan Opera premiered it first in concert (February 2, 1896) and then on stage (U.S. stage premiere, December 7, 1906). The Met revived it first in concert at Carnegie Hall on November 10, 1996, then on the stage production on November 7, 2008, produced and directed by Robert Lepage.
In May 2011, filmmaker Terry Gilliam made his opera debut at London's English National Opera, directing The Damnation of Faust. The production received positive reviews in the British press. Three instrumental passages, the Marche Hongroise (Hungarian March), Ballet des sylphes, and Menuet des follets are sometimes extracted and performed as "Three Orchestral Pieces from La Damnation de Faust."
Hector Berlioz - The Damnation of Faust by Herbert von Karajan. Uploaded by Daniel Caires. Accessed Dec 6, 2013.
Resources:
Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust Premieres
This day, December 6 (1846), Hector Berlioz conducts the first performance of his French "opéra de concert," La Damnation de Faust (The Damnation of Faust), at the Opéra Comique, in Paris. Libretto is written by Hector Berlioz and Amire Gandonniere. It was based on G. de Nerval's adaptation of "Faust" by Johann Von Goethe. The Damnation of Faust (French: La damnation de Faust) , Op. 24, is a work for orchestra, four solo voices, and large children's chorus by French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a dramatic legend (légende dramatique.)It was not successful in its first performance, one reason was due to its being midway between opera and cantata. The composer was deeply hurt by the unsatisfactory critical acclaim and public indifference at the time. However, since its first successful complete performance in concert in Paris, 1877, La Damnation de Faust has been regularly performed in concert halls.
The Metropolitan Opera premiered it first in concert (February 2, 1896) and then on stage (U.S. stage premiere, December 7, 1906). The Met revived it first in concert at Carnegie Hall on November 10, 1996, then on the stage production on November 7, 2008, produced and directed by Robert Lepage.
In May 2011, filmmaker Terry Gilliam made his opera debut at London's English National Opera, directing The Damnation of Faust. The production received positive reviews in the British press. Three instrumental passages, the Marche Hongroise (Hungarian March), Ballet des sylphes, and Menuet des follets are sometimes extracted and performed as "Three Orchestral Pieces from La Damnation de Faust."
Hector Berlioz - The Damnation of Faust by Herbert von Karajan. Uploaded by Daniel Caires. Accessed Dec 6, 2013.
Resources:
- Berlioz, Memoirs, translated by Michel Austin, Ch. 54 (Excerpts). Accessed December 6, 2013.
- Jessica Duchen (May 9, 2011). "The Damnation of Faust." The Independent. Accessed Dec 6, 2013.
- Rupert Christiansen (9 May 2011). "Terry Gilliam's first opera is a damned fine glimpse of the abyss." Daily Telegraph. Accessed December 6, 2013.
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