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© Edouard Brane
The Damnation of Faust
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November 2025 | ||||||
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La Damnation de Faust – Hector Berlioz | Opera
Duration: approximately 2h10
Sung in French, with surtitles in French/English
Performance with audio description: Saturday, November 15, 2025, 6:00 PM.
Goethe and Berlioz for one of the masterpieces of French Romanticism.
Some works seem to have their fate suspended in time, and undoubtedly La Damnation de Faust belongs to this category. A dramatic legend and visionary project, as evidenced by its subtitle "dramatic legend," Berlioz took nearly twenty years to complete this work, which lies on the boundary between grand opera (which it would later become) and the symphonic poem (a genre in which the French composer was a master, on par with Strauss). Fascinated from the outset by the translation of Goethe's Faust by Gérard de Nerval, Berlioz would be haunted for a long time by the idea of setting the legend to music.
To serve this major work of Romantic aesthetics, we are pleased to welcome a brand new and young artistic team. The musical harmony between the young conductor Jakob Lehmann and the musicians of Les Siècles was appreciated in the autumn of 2024. Berlioz will offer them the opportunity for a first encounter in the pit. For about a decade, the young director Silvia Costa has been presenting visual and poetic theater, drawing inspiration from a work on the imagination. A multifaceted and inventive artist, she uses all artistic fields to guide her dramaturgical exploration. Finally, this will be an opportunity for Benjamin Bernheim to take on a new role, undoubtedly one of the most demanding in the French operatic repertoire.
Program and cast
Jakob Lehmann | direction
Silvia Costa | staging, set design, costumes
Simon Hatab | dramaturgy
Michele Taborelli | set design
Marco Giusti | lighting
Benjamin Bernheim | Faust
Viktoria Karkacheva | Marguerite
Christian Van Horn | Méphistophélès
Thomas Dolié | Brander
Les Siècles
Chœur de Radio France | conducted by Lionel Sow
Maîtrise de Radio France | conducted by Marie-Noëlle Maerten
New production
Produced by Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
In collaboration with Palazzetto Bru Zane – Centre for French Romantic Music
In partnership with france.tv
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées is undoubtedly one of the finest venues in Paris . Built in 1913 , it has the distinction of having been designed by a group of artists architects Henry Van de Velde and Auguste Perret , the painter and sculptor Antoine Bourdelle , the painter Maurice Denis , and the crystal- René Lalique to do mention the main ones . He was the first Parisian theater to be built entirely of reinforced concrete.
Restoration of the Great Hall devoted to operatic performances , symphony concerts and dance was decided in 1985. Two years later , on 23 September 1987, the theater reopened its doors , completely renovated. Fifteen years after this important work it was decided to undertake a new renovation campaign , but to prevent the complete closure of the theater for an entire season , work is now carried by step during the summer . Then it is to replace aging equipment , to remedy wear certain parts of the theater and improve spectator comfort and artists during their visit . Thus in recent years, including the work involved the renovation of marble facade, replacing the carpet in the room with wooden floors , installation of a new fully decorated wooden concert to a significant improvement of acoustics, the orchestra pit and stage below .
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées is now a modern working tool receiving each year nearly 300,000 spectators and a few thousands of artists and collaborators.
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées , the jewel of French architecture of the twentieth century, was in 1953 one of the first buildings of contemporary architectural heritage to be classified as historic monuments . Since 1970 the Caisse des Dépôts owns the entire building 15 avenue Montaigne and principal patron of the theater.
For over a century, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has been the place where the most celebrated artists have come to make their names in Paris. The world’s finest orchestras and world-class soloists have always been a fixture at the Theatre. Théâtre des Champs-Elysées presents more than 200 concerts each year and is renowned for its outstanding performances of all genres, from classical music concerts and staged opera to contemporary dance and jazz.
How to reach us:
Subway: Alma-Marceau (line 9), Franklin D.Roosevelt (line 1), Pont de l’Alma (RER line C)
Bus: n° 42, 63, 72, 80, 92
Taxi station: Place de l’Alma, corner of avenue George V
Car park: Alma George V. The entrance is in front of n° 19, avenue George V
Fixed rate depending on the length of the performance. Payment upon entering.
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