Faust
Lyric Opera

NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended

"...the singing is so uncharacteristically glorious that cuts and drab scenery are minor quips. Polish tenor Piotr Beczala has made Faust his signature role, and from the moment he opens his mouth in dreary despair in his study, it is easy to hear why. The voice is clear, flexible and carries beautifully, even in a cavernous house such as the Civic Opera House. Although German bass René Pape’s Méphistophélès does not carry as well, he more than compensates with his variety of vocal color; he can be demonic when needed, such as with his frenzied salutation to the Golden Calf, but his invocation to the night that first brings Faust and Marguerite together is luxuriously luminous in its beauty."
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Dennis Polkow

ChicagoCritic- Recommended

"...Overall, the production is highly effective. As a musician, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it is also perfectly accessible to non-musicians who enjoy drama laced with comedy. I took a friend to the performance who is not a musician and has only seen a couple operas; she called Faust the best production she had seen, being blown away by the three leads and finding the story and music compelling. She may not have noticed musical minutia, like when Sir Andrew Davis and Mr. Pape disagreed on tempo for a whole phrase, but there is more to opera than music."

Evan Kuchar