Interview: Anne Marie Ketchum on THE VERDI CHORUS Sings FAUST
Performances take place Nov 15 & 16 at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica.
By: Shari Barrett Nov. 05, 2025
Opera is no stranger to the devilish phenomenon now inhabiting the musical theatre stage with the popular Hadestown, Damn Yankees, and The Devil Wears Prada frequently playing to sold out houses wherever presented. That’s also very true with Faust in particular, whose story of possession was shared this past summer in Griffith Park. But the most devilish of operas include Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, Gounod’s Faust and Boito’s Mefistofele, which The Verdi Chorus will be sharing on November 15 and 16 at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica.
The Verdi Chorus (pictured) remains the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus, and will be aided in this endeavor by three powerhouse guest soloists - soprano Jessica Tivens-Schneiderman, tenor Alex Boyer, and multiple Grammy Award winning baritone Gabriel Manro.
I decided to speak with the Verdi Chorus Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum (Both photos credit: Shawn Flint Blair) about her decision to present these three ghoulish Opera classics and why these three soloists were selected to be featured.
It’s great to speak with you again, Anne Marie. What led to your decision to present Faust-themed operas for the opening for the 42nd Season of The Verdi Chorus in November? Was part of it to extend the spookiness of the Halloween Season, or something else?
Last summer while traveling in Europe I visited the birthplace of the great German writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Frankfurt. It occurred to me then that Goethe’s Faust, one of the all-time greatest pieces of literature, should be my next Verdi Chorus project.
Why did you select these three works about Faust in particular? 
The character Faust was an actual person who lived in the 16th century and was thought to have evil magical powers. Goethe masterfully had Faust redeemed at the end, (but no, not the case originally). Gounod, Berlioz and Boito, three great 19th century composers, have written operas from this legend. How fascinating would it be to tell this story through these three geniuses?
Can you give me a few examples?
Gounod’s Faust is the most often performed of the three pieces and is loved for its great melodies and ensembles. Berlioz created an exulted and powerful piece in The Damnation of Faust, which is sometimes called a cantata or a “dramatic legend” and is rarely staged. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of some of the choral music in this piece and am excited to work with it and present it in this concert. Mefistofele by Boito is incredibly moving in its story telling. In the final piece of the opera all of humanity and all the heavens open up in a truly inspiring way, as they come together in a mighty unison that ultimately overcomes the Devil and redeems Faust.
Soloist: Multiple Grammy Award winning baritone Gabriel Manro
Is it the hope of redemption that appeals the most to audiences? Or something else?
We are certainly all hopeful for personal redemption, but in this time of a constant need for immediate gratification the challenges are daily, and the ramifications are often unseen. It's a sign of the times in our culture, politics and life that there is a contest battle for moral integrity. Consequently, this ancient story rings true for us today.
How will your edits and interpretations for The Verdi Chorus vary from traditional ways of presenting each opera?
We are taking excerpts from three operas and presenting then concert style to our audience. There are no costumes, sets, etc. just powerful poetic and musical ideas that tell, in sequence, the story of a man who makes a bargain with the devil.
Soloist: Lyric soprano Jessica Tivens-Schneiderman
Why do you think your focus and/or style of operatic choral music appeals to your audiences so much?
Opera is theatre – it tells stories that people can relate to, even when it is a story from another time. The music has drama. It evokes emotion, weather, festivities, danger, sleep, prayer…. And I always find a way to send people home on a positive note of hope, love, restoration and goodness.
And why for these selections in particular?
Gounod is a crowd pleaser. Melodic, accessible, hummable and a great story teller. Boito had a tremendous sense of theater and how to create an emotional response. Berlioz’ musical language is full of surprises. The music constantly takes you in unexpected directions and creates a harmonic richness that can at times be hypnotic.
Soloist: Tenor Alex Boyer
Please tell me more about the soloists for the evening.
Our three fabulous guest soloists include soprano Jessica Tivens-Schneiderman, celebrated by the San Francisco Chronicle as “a singer of considerable gifts;” tenor Alex Boyer, hailed by The New York Times as a “firm lyric tenor;” and multiple Grammy Award winning baritone Gabriel Manro, who San Francisco Classical Voice calls “a knock-down baritone.”
Are there reasons these three were selected?
First of all, I am in the unique position of being able to hire people who are friends. As it turns out I have extremely talented friends! Jessica possesses a rich lyric soprano voice that is perfect for the part of Marguerite. Alex is well on his way as a sought after leading tenor. Gabriel is a tall, ridiculously charming bass-baritone with a rich expressive voice. And I have hired all three before.
The Verdi Chorus. Photo Credit: Tim Berreth
What is the rest of The Verdi Chorus 42nd Season, and when do they perform?
Following our Faust concert November 15 and 16, we will present our annual Spring Concert April 18 and 19. We perform all of our concerts at the same location – The First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica, located at 1220 2nd Street.
Anything else you would like to share about the Faust spectacular?
It’s been a joy to study Goethe’s story in depth and to present the music of these three great composers.
Thanks so much!
The Verdi Chorus Fall 2025 Concert: Faust – Berlioz, Gounod and Boito performance times are Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, November 16 at 4:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica, located at 1220 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Tickets are now available for purchase at www.verdichorus.org. Priority seating is available for $50, general admission is $40, seniors are $30, and students aged 25 and under with a valid ID are $10.
These performances are made possible, in part, through the generous support of the Sahm Family Foundation and the Colburn Foundation, and by grant funding from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, and the City of Santa Monica through the Santa Monica Arts Commission.
Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)
6.5% of votes
2.
HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)
5.7% of votes
3.
HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)
5.5% of votes
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