July 28, 2009
Kirk Eichelberger, whose entire (still-young) career has been chronicled in these pages enthusiastically — from San José to Fremont to Walnut Creek — will sing Méphistophélès, a role he clearly relishes: “I gallivant around the stage ruining people’s lives, then turn to the audience and laugh about it!”
Michael Morgan conducts the opera, with former Merolinis Brian Thorsett in the title role, Kristin Clayton as Marguerite, and Eugene Brancoveanu as Valentin. Patrice Houston sings Marthe, Erin Neff is Siébel, and Zachary Gordin appears as Wagner.
Thorsett, who previously turned down invitations to sing Faust, spent a month preparing in Paris after accepting the Festival Opera assignment. This work included brushing up on his French and analyzing the original play for a deeper understanding of the opera’s overall architecture. “I love the way Gounod crafted dramatic, character-filled music — while at the same time, writing beautiful convincing melodies.” One of the biggest challenges in portraying the corruptible Faust, he says, is the first scene featuring the character’s physical and vocal transformation “from an older disenchanted man to a robust young lover.”
