Faust, in Full Score

Charles François Gounod (1818-1893): Fausto. Ópera en cinco actos.
Libreto de Jules Barbier. Partitura general.

The ultimate success of his opera Faust firmly established Charles Gounod (l818-1893) in the front ranks of the composers of his time. For nearly a century, Faust, based on the legend of the old philosopher who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power, would reign as one of the most performed of all operas. But its journey to the top of the international repertoire was long and filled with disappointment and delay.
Gounod began work on Faust as early as 1856, scoring the libretto that Jules Barbier adapted from Michel Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, based on Goethe's dramatic poem. But when the composer first submitted Faust to the Paris Opéra, it was rejected. The opera would undergo many productions and changes -the conversion of dialogue to recitative, the enlargement of certain roles, the cutting of scenes and more -before its triumphant Italian premiere at La Scala, Milan, in 1862. By the time of its long-awaited premiere at the Paris Opera, in 1869 (with the insertion of a ballet insisted upon by the management), Faust had already achieved the status of a classic, with a history of successful productions throughout Europe and America.
This splendid opera richly displays Gounod's appealing lyricism, inspired gift for melody and much-admired mastery of orchestration. The full score is reprinted here from authoritative editions, including the Romance: "Si le bonheur ," the unabridged "Walpurgis Night" and "Bacchanal" and the complete "Faust Ballet Music."

Unabridged Dover (1994) compilation of Margarete (Faust), published by Bote &: Bock, Berlin, n.d.; Ballet Music: Faust, published by Chappell & Co. Ltd., London, n.d.; and Romance: "Si le bonheur," from Faust, published by Mapieson Music Publications, New York, n.d.