The world premiere of a British Faust
NewsThe Havergal Brian Society has announced the release of his unheard opera Faust on the Dutton label.
From the blurb:
The British composer Havergal Brian (1876-1972) considered his opera “Faust” to be his greatest single achievement, but he never heard a note of it performed. To mark the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death, the orchestra and chorus of English National Opera, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, give the world premiere of the complete work under the baton of the ENO’s Music Director, Martyn Brabbins….
But here’s the thing: the opera is sung in Goethe’s German. ENO exists to sing in English.
Funny old world.
Being sung in German, unfortunately, lends it with a cachet to the opera crowd although Mozart wrote the first opera in that language.
So HB considered it is “greatest single achievement” ? Well that’s setting the bar pretty low. I know in UK there’s a faction which appreciates his 32 (!) symphonies, but it’s all pretty thin stuff.
Faust is not easy to translate from Goethe’s wonderful but intricate German.Boito did a good job, but try turning the text into singable English……