Faust, a learned doctorTenor
Méphistophélès, SatanBass
MargueriteSoprano
Valentine, a soldier, brother to MargueriteBaritone
Siebel, a village youth, in love with MargueriteMezzo-Soprano
Wagner, a studentBaritone
Martha Schwerlein, neighbour to MargueriteMezzo-Soprano

Students, soldiers, villagers, angels, demons, Cleopatra, Laïs, Helen of Troy, and others.

Time—16th Century.

Place—Germany.

Copyright photo by Dupont

Plançon as Méphistophélès in “Faust”

Popular in this country from the night of its American production, Gounod's "Faust" nevertheless did not fully come into its own here until during the Maurice Grau régime at the Metropolitan Opera House. Sung in French by great artists, every one of whom was familiar with the traditions of the Grand Opéra, Paris, the work was given so often that William J. Henderson cleverly suggested "Faustspielhaus" as an appropriate substitute for the name of New York's yellow brick temple of opera; a mot which led Krehbiel, in a delightful vein of banter, to exclaim, "Henderson, your German jokes are better than your serious German!"