Faust: A Lyric Drama in Five Acts

audiobook

Faust: A Lyric Drama in Five Acts

by Charles Gounod, Jules Barbier, Michel Carré

EN·~1 hours·1 chapter

Chapters

1 total

GRAND OPERALIBRETTOS

1:44:16

Description

An elegant five‑act lyric drama set to Charles Gounod’s soaring melodies, this opera weaves a timeless tale of longing, temptation, and fragile love. The libretto, drawn from Goethe’s celebrated version, focuses on the tender romance that has become the heart of the story, allowing the music to linger on intimate emotions as much as on grand supernatural scenes.

In the opening act, the weary scholar Faust stands on the brink of despair, ready to end his life after a lifetime of fruitless pursuits. A chorus of joyful maidens and the humble chants of reapers halt his fatal resolve, stirring a sudden fury that summons the devilish Mephistopheles. The demonic broker offers wealth and power, yet Faust’s true desire is the renewal of youth and the fleeting pleasures it promises, setting the stage for a pact that will reshape his destiny.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~1 hours (100K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Colin Bell, Paul Marshall, Joseph Cooper and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Release date

May 28, 2014

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the authors

Charles Gounod

Charles Gounod

1818–1893

Best known for the opera Faust, this French Romantic composer also gave the world the beloved "Ave Maria" built over a prelude by J. S. Bach. His music moves easily between the stage, the church, and the salon, with a gift for melody that kept it alive long after his lifetime.

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Jules Barbier

Jules Barbier

1825–1901

A French poet, playwright, and librettist, he helped shape some of the most famous operas of the 19th century. His words gave dramatic life to works such as Faust, Roméo et Juliette, and Les Contes d'Hoffmann.

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Michel Carré

Michel Carré

1819–1872

A prolific French librettist, he helped shape some of the best-known operas of the 19th century. His gift for turning drama into singable, theatrical stories made him an important partner for composers such as Charles Gounod and Georges Bizet.

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