Opera Roanoke opened the 2010-11 season to a packed house at the Jefferson Center with the French opera “Faust and Furious, A Ride with the Devil!” written mainly by Charles Gounod. One of the most popular operas of all times it is a passion filled production that tells the story of an old man, Faust, who strikes a deal with the devil to regain his youth. In the process he ends up destroying the life of the woman he loved, but in the end he repents and finds redemption.
According to Steven White, Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor of Opera Roanoke, a fully staged production of Faust would cost approximately $140,000.00. By eliminating the costumes and sets the cost drops to just alittle over $40,000.00, still a tidy sum for one performance.
The three main characters, beautifully sung, were Marguerite, (Barbara Shirvis, soprano), Faust (Dinyar Vania, tenor), and Mefistofele (the Devil) Jeffrey Tucker, bass. Scott Williamson, General and Artistic Director of Opera Roanoke, was the narrator.
In addition to the principle singers and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Maestro White was joined on stage (and in the aisles), by over 175 members of the choirs of Liberty University, Roanoke College Childrens Choir, the Virginia Chorale, and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Chorus.
In addition to doing a seemingly impossible job of conducting the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, all of the choirs, and the principle singers at the same time, White sings each part while conducting. It is a truly amazing feat — displaying his tremendous talent and command of the entire production. He uses his baton, much as a matador uses his sword and cape, to take command of the entire cast. White later told me “this is the first time I’ve conducted most of this music, with the exception of one of the Gounod numbers, but it’s all music I’ve known and wanted to do for at least two decades!”
White left the next day to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he is one of the cover conductors.
The entire group, especially the lead opera singers, did an outstanding job and earned a well deserved standing ovation.
The next performances by Opera Roanoke will be recitals November 7th and January 23, followed by a full production of Madame Butterfly on March 18 and 20th, and a Mothers Day Serenade on May 8, 2011.
All performances will be at the Jefferson Center.
Story and Photo by Jim Bullington