from Part II, scene 3 of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Brander, a student

Voice Part: bass

Setting: Auerbach's cellar, Leipzig

Synopsis: Urged on by his fellow students, Brander sings a song about a rat and its impending death.

from Part III of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Faust, an old man turned young by Méphistophélès

Voice Part: tenor

Setting: Marguerite's room

Synopsis: Faust finds himself in Marguerite's room and revels at the joy of being in something so close to her.

from Part IV, scene 2 of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Faust, an old man turned young by Méphistophélès

Voice Part: tenor

Setting: A mountain gorge

Synopsis: Faust invokes Nature and all its power.

from Part III of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Marguerite, a young woman

Voice Part: soprano

Setting: Marguerite's room

Synopsis: As Marguerite gets ready to go to sleep, she sings a song about the King of Thule and his life.

from Part IV, scene 1 of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Marguerite, a young woman

Voice Part: soprano

Setting: Marguerite's room

Synopsis: Marguerite is alone and sure that Faust has left her. As she sits at her window, she sorrowfully wonders if he will ever return to her.

from Part III of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Méphistophélès, the devil

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: Marguerite's room

Synopsis: Méphistophélès serenades Marguerite and Faust mockingly about the deceit of man.

from Part II, scene 3 of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Méphistophélès, the devil

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: Auerbach's cellar, Leipzig

Synopsis: After Brander sings his "Song of the Rat", Méphistophélès appears and sings a parody on the song about a king and the flea that lived on him.

from Part II, scene 4 of the French opera La Damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz

Libretto: Gérard de Nerval

Role: Méphistophélès, the devil

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: The banks of the Elbe

Synopsis: As Faust sleeps on the banks, Méphistophélès invokes the spirits to dance around him.

from Act III of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Faust, an old man turned young by Mèphistophélès

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: lyric tenor

Setting: The garden of Marguerite in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Approaching Marguerite's house, Faust is struck by the purity of the dwelling and the innocence of Marguerite inside. He then goes on to thank Nature for creating the beautiful angelic creature that is Marguerite.

from Act III of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Marguerite, a young woman

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric coloratura

Setting: The garden of Marguerite in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Curious about the identity of the stranger (Faust) that met her in the square of the town earlier, Marguerite sings a song about a king of Thule that remained faithful to the memory of his lady until his death.

from Act III of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Marguerite, a young woman

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric coloratura

Setting: The garden of Marguerite in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Marguerite has found a casket of jewels at her door. She has never had jewels of any sort and she tries them on and looks at herself in the mirror. She imagines that others do not recognize her and believe that she is actually a princess. She also thinks of Faust and sings that if he could see her now, he would find her truly beautiful.

from Act IV, Scene 1 of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Marguerite, a young woman

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric coloratura

Setting: The room of Marguerite's house in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Spinning at her spinning wheel, Marguerite sings of her loneliness and feelings of betrayal. Faust has left her after sleeping with her and she now waits eagerly for his return. He has not returned though. Marguerite swears to God that if she could see him only once more, she would be happy.

from Act II of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Mèphistophélès, the Devil

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: A celebration in a public square in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Appearing in the midst of a celebration by Valentin, Wagner, and their student friends, Mèphistophélès sings a song about greed and men's susceptibility to it. He finishes by singing that Satan is behind it all.

from Act IV, Scene 3 of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Mèphistophélès, the Devil

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: A square in front of a cathedral in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Faust and Mèphistophélès come at night to Marguerite's house. Marguerite's window is lit up and Mèphistophélès offers to sing a serenade to get her to open the door for Faust. The serenade advises a woman not to give up her virginity until after she is married. Of course, he is mocking her for she has already slept with Faust and, in fact, is bearing his child.

from Act III of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Siebel, a young man in love with Marguerite

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: lyric mezzo

Setting: The garden of Marguerite in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Siebel gathers flowers to give to Marguerite. He hopes that they will convey his love to her, but they die as soon as he plucks them. He remembers the evil man who he met earlier (Mèphistophélès) and believes that he has been cursed by him. So, he dips his hands in holy water to remove the curse and goes back to picking flowers.

from Act IV, Scene 1 of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Siebel, a young man in love with Marguerite

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: lyric mezzo

Setting: The room of Marguerite's house in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Finding Marguerite forlorn and sorrowful at her spinning wheel, Siebel attempts to comfort her by swearing to avenge the wrongs against her. When she pleads with him not to, Siebel sings to her that when she is happy, he is happy. Likewise, when she is sad, he weeps with her. He finishes by teling her that he will always love her.

from Act II of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Valentin, Marguerite's brother

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: A celebration in a public square in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Valentin has been called off to war. He is not worried about what will happen to him because of the sacred medallion that he has been given. He is, however, worried because there will no one protect his sister while he is gone. He asks God to take care of her while he fights. He declares that he shall fight valiantly for his country and if he dies, he prays that he will be allowed to watch over his sister from Heaven.

from Act IV, Scene 3 of the French opera Faust by Charles-François Gounod

Libretto: Jules Barbier

Role: Valentin, Marguerite's brother

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: A square in front of a cathedral in a German city, 16th century

Synopsis: Upon returning home from the wars, Valentin has discovered that Marguerite has slept with Faust and is now bearing his child. When the two meet, Valentin challenges Faust to a duel and is mortally wounded. With his dying words, Valentin curses Marguerite for her promiscuity, saying that if God may forgive her in the end, may she remain cursed on Earth.