Toledo Opera Presents Charles Gounod's Faust

April 9, 15, 17, 2005 at the Valentine Theatre

(TOLEDO, Ohio, February 3, 2005) – Is there any price too high to pay for the promise of eternal youth? This timeless question is posed when Toledo Opera makes a deal with the devil as it closes its 45th season with Charles Gounod’s classic tale, Faust, at the Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St. in downtown Toledo.

Based closely on Goethe’s play of the same name, Faust is the story of an aging scholar who is on the brink of suicide after lamenting that his life of study has brought him nothing. In desperation Faust cries out to the devil, Méphistophélès, who appears with a tempting offer. In exchange for his soul, the devil will provide Faust with the things he desires most: youth and love. The devil further entices Faust with a vision of a lovely girl named Marguerite, and the pact is completed. With the aid of Méphistophélès, Faust deceives the beautiful and deeply pious Marguerite into giving herself to him. When he leaves, Marguerite falls into madness, committing an unthinkable crime. She is sentenced to death, and, though Faust tries to free her, salvation comes from a much higher power.

With passionate drama, unconscionable choices, and heartbreaking consequences, Gounod’s classic battle of good and evil is second only to Bizet’s Carmen as the world’s most popular French opera. Faust is replete with rich, exotic melodies, and features a host of famous arias, waltzes and choral ensembles. Gounod’s composition includes the brilliant “Jewel Song” and the well-known “Soldiers’ Chorus,” and other stunning and familiar melodies.

Grammy Award winning Thomas Conlin returns to conduct the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in this timeless tale of good versus evil. Faust will be under the direction of Gregory Fortner, who has previously directed Don Giovanni with Toledo Opera and has directed for numerous plays and operas throughout the United States and South America. Featured will be tenor Mario Zhang as Faust, baritone Grant Youngblood as Valentin, baritone Levi Hernandez as Wagner, soprano Yunah Lee as Marguerite, mezzo-soprano Kirsten Gunlogson, bass-baritone Eduardo Chama as Méphistophélès, and mezzo-soprano Cristy Lynn Brown as Marthe.

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