Faust, in original version

The Teatre Principal de Palma has kicked off the 41st Opera Season with a Faust, by Charles Gounod, which recovers the original version—that is, the one performed for the first time at the Parisian Théâtre Lyrique, in an opéra comique version with spoken dialogue. When it made the leap to the Opéra de Paris, they did not permit this circumstance, so Gounod had some dialogues cut and converted others into recitatives. Surely, few people in the audience had seen the version in question, and there must have been some surprise. In any case, it is clear that it is an added value. Likewise, it is a co-production between the Opéra de Lille, the Opéra-Comique de Paris, and the Palazetto Bru Zane-Centre de musique romantique française, in Venice. Its origin is once again a success in terms of quality. And so it was. Stylish and with great class, the staging by Denis Podalydès presented meticulous lighting that enhances all the situations generated by the story, with the corresponding location changes, which emerge with fluidity and without interruption, although if there were one between the first three acts, which are two hours long, it wouldn't be bad either. It is clear, however, that part of the scenographic magic would be lost. Everything has a price.

Regarding the choreography, which is signed by Cécile Bon and danced by Louise Carriére and Elsa Tagawa, it must be said that it was of great grace and effectiveness, with a final surprise included. As did Joan Miquel Muñoz as Wagner and Begoña Gómez as Siebel in the spoken dialogues. They surpassed the challenge with ease when they had to sing, with more prominence from the soprano playing a male character, impeccably.

The protagonists did not disappoint either. SunnyBoy Dladla's Faust, with a somewhat metallic voice, had volume, breath control, and range, and took risks at times. Veronica Granatero as Marguerite fulfilled her role and resolved the different situations that occur throughout the work and transform the character quite effectively, while Méphistopheles, played by Nicolas Cavalier, perhaps needed a little more comedic flair and manifest cruelty, although he also sang it without problems or much risk either. Yiorgo Ioannou performed well as Valentin, without being able to sing the well-known Avant de quitter, and even less so, due to the vocal importance of the character, Laura Vila as Dame Marthe. Perhaps there was a lack of polyphony in the beautiful garden quartet and some sublime moment, of those that stir the spectator's soul.

The orchestra, the Symphony, was conducted by Alejandro Cantalapiedra, who maintained control of the situation at all times with the ideal delicacy so as not to bury the singers at any point. The choir was up to the task, before an audience that filled the venue to capacity.