Fausto de Gounod

The story of Faust, protagonist of the timeless tragedy by Goethe, needs no introduction. It has inspired countless retellings and adaptations on stage and screen—and few are better-known or more beloved than Gounod's Faust, one of the most popular works in the French repertoire. In this splendid 2015 production, the Teatro Regio Torino's musical director Gianandrea Noseda takes on the work for the first time in his career to excellent results!

Stage director Stefano Poda—also in charge of set design (as well as costumes and lighting)—creates striking effects with a giant black ring at center stage that projects disquieting shadows on the singers. He relies on an all-star cast to pull off his vision: Charles Castronovo, dramatically and vocally convincing in the title role; Ildar Abdrazakov, a mainstay on the world's biggest opera stages and a memorable Mephistopheles; and Irina Lungu, who brings her crystalline timbre to the innocent Marguerite. The orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Regio are impeccably conducted by Noseda and Claudio Fenoglio, plunging us with suspense and wonder into the world of this legendary tale…