BERLIOZ: The Damnation of Faust, op. 24
The final concert of the season showcases Berlioz’s monumental dramatic legend based on Goethe’s Faust, sung by world-class soloists and the Colorado Symphony Chorus. In his mid-twenties, Berlioz became obsessed with a French version of Faust, which inspired his first official opus, Eight Scenes from Faust. He later rejected the piece as a worthless work of his youth and tried to personally destroy every copy of it. This grander, more mature setting was received with indifference by the Parisian audience and left Berlioz financially ruined, but it’s now recognized as a classic of dazzling orchestration, dramatic pacing, harmonic inventiveness, and remarkable melodies. Because of the enormous forces required, complete performances are a rarity, so don’t miss this spectacular event capping off a season themed "enchantment."
