Michel Carré

A man who sells his soul for worldly gain finds a perfect home in the Beltway as Washington National Opera stages Charles Gounod's 1859 opera Faust,performed in French with projected English titles. After a 25-year absence from its stage, WNO resurrects the French classic filled with depression, damnation, and demons in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Immortalized by Goethe's dramatic work, Gounod set the legendary German tale of Faust to music with libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre. The opera follows the aging Dr. Faust who is willing to exchange Heaven's rewards for Earth's mortal pleasures. After a pact with Mephistopheles that restores his youth, Faustpursues the lovely Marguerite only to learn his salvation is tragically bound to others, especially for those he loves most. In the tradition of grand French opera and featuring a storybook aesthetic and memorable music, including Marguerite's "Jewel Song," the Soldiers' Chorus and the final trio, Faust returns for six performances, March 16-30, 2019, with tickets starting at $45.

One of the nation's most adventurous opera companies, Odyssey Opera, continues its sixth season with the Boston premiere of the rarely performed 1858 opera Le medecin malgre lui (The Doctor in Spite of Himself). On the occasion of the bicentenary of Charles Gounod's birth (1818-1893), Odyssey Opera offers a chance to become better acquainted with one of the largest French composers of the second half of the 19th Century. Based on a play by the great French satirical playwright Moliere, Gounod's Le medecin malgre lui is a three-act comic opera set to a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre. Odyssey Opera will feature baritone Stephen Salters (Sganarelle), mezzo-soprano Tascha Anderson (Jacqueline), the Boston debut of tenor Piotr Buszewski (Leandre), and a full orchestra and chorus conducted by Gil Rose, with stage direction by Daniel Pelzig (Santa Fe Opera, Met Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago). The fully-staged production will be sung in French with English subtitles, with never heard recitatives added by Erik Satie.

One of the nation's most adventurous opera companies, Odyssey Opera, continues its sixth season with the Boston premiere of the rarely performed 1858 opera Le medecin malgre lui (The Doctor in Spite of Himself). On the occasion of the bicentenary of Charles Gounod's birth (1818-1893), Odyssey Opera offers a chance to become better acquainted with one of the largest French composers of the second half of the 19th Century. Based on a play by the great French satirical playwright Moliere, Gounod's Le medecin malgre lui is a three-act comic opera set to a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre. Odyssey Opera will feature baritone Stephen Salters (Sganarelle), mezzo-soprano Tascha Anderson (Jacqueline), the Boston debut of tenor Piotr Buszewski (Leandre), and a full orchestra and chorus conducted by Gil Rose, with stage direction by Daniel Pelzig (Santa Fe Opera, Met Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago). The fully-staged production will be sung in French with English subtitles, with never heard recitatives added by Erik Satie.

Skylight Music Theatre Artistic Director Ray Jivoff today announced the cast, creative team and band for The Tales of Hoffmann, running March 16-29 in Skylight's beautiful Cabot Theatre.

Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann returns to the Met Opera on September 26 with tenor Vittorio Grigolo reprising the title role of the tortured poet.

Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann returns to the Met Opera on September 26 with tenor Vittorio Grigolo reprising the title role of the tortured poet.

At an announcement party held today, Artistic Director Ray Jivoff unveiled Skylight Music Theatre's 2017-18 Season line-up of 'firsts' -- five shows that have never been produced at Skylight. 

Under the direction of Bartlett Sher (whose work is currently represented on Broadway with Lincoln Center Theater's revival of The King and I, Charles Gounod's 1867 French opera ROMEO AND JULIET comes to opulent, dramatic life--with the quality and grandiosity that characterize Lyric Opera's productions. This production of Gounod's opera--with libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre and which was first performed at the Lyric in 1981--retains the original Renaissance setting of Shakespeare's classic play and renders it larger-than-life. The inherently dramatic nature of the play makes it a fitting choice for an operatic adaptation--Romeo and Juliet's tragic love story becomes even more heightened when set to Gounod's decadent score.

One more BOHEME? Yet another TOSCA? How about BARBIERE redux? Sometimes the standard repertoire of opera companies seems too standard. That's why it was good to hear that the Met was mounting Bizet's LES PECHEURS DE PERLES for the first time in a century, as a showcase for one of its top divas, Diana Damrau with tenor Matthew Polenzani, one of the company's secret treasures.

Winter Opera Saint Louis kicks off its seventh season Friday, November 8th (8pm) and Sunday, November 10th (3pm) with Charles Gounod's FAUST, sponsored by Morgan Stanley. Based upon Goethe's tragedy and Michel Carre's play, the story has become iconic: Mephistopheles entices the disillusioned philosopher Faust with the opportunity to have his every desire on earth…in exchange for his soul. Faust's decision threatens to destroy his community, especially his true love, Marguerite. Gounod's score abounds with some of opera's greatest gems, including Valentin's "Avant de quitter ces lieux," Faust's "Salut! demeure chaste et pure," and Marguerite's famous Jewel Song "Ah! Je ris de me voir!"

Dicapo Opera Theatre, New York's third opera company, opens its 2007-08 season with a new production of Charles Francois Gounod's Roméo et Juliette Thursday, October 4, at 6:30PM.