Scenes from Goethe's Faust at Nationaltheater Mannheim

The life of Faust, who after immortality, first strives for earthly knowledge and magic (Faust I), then for the greatest beauty and energy (Faust II), is reflected in the life work of Goethe, who worked for over 50 years on his Faust. In 1831 he completed the work, even though he was polishing it up again shortly afterwards. Overcome by the »sublime poetry« of the two-part tragedy, Schumann also wrestled with the material for almost a decade. He composed the mystic religious finale of Faust’s transfiguration in 1844 as an independent work. In 1850 he added core fragments from the first part to it, as well as a combination of the entrance scene from Faust II with scenes of his fall and death, and in 1853 added the overture for this, which is one of the final works of Schumann before the outbreak of his mental derangement. Planned originally as an opera and then as an oratorio, and fondly presented under the description of Scenes from Goethe’s Faust, the world première took place posthumously in Cologne. Whether the fragmentation was intended or determined by the death of the composer – the scenes from Goethe's Faust involve a heterogeneous work in which the Goethean scenes appear like short visual memories, visual mementos. The music creates a unit that, through harmonic and thematic connections, turns the open juxtaposition of scenes into a drama with tragic and lyrical elements. From the gloomy overture, via the dramatic scene in the cathedral, to the transfigured finale, Schumann joins together a very diverse musical world, combining elements of song, opera oratorio and church music, and in so doing, creates one of the key works of romanticism.

The scenes from Goethe's Faust are interpreted by soloists and the opera choir of the Nationaltheater, performed together with the Philharmonie Baden-Baden. This orchestra with a rich tradition is the guest orchestra at the Nationaltheater for this season.