GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: Faust

Three of the opera world’s leading stars—Jonas Kaufmann, Marina Poplavskaya, and René Pape—sing the principal roles in a new production of Gounod’s "Faust," directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff in his Met debut. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

Kaufmann makes his Met role debut as the title character, and Poplavskaya makes hers as Faust’s love interest and eventual victim, Marguerite; Pape returns to one of his greatest Met roles, the wicked tempter Méphistophélès.

French-Canadian mezzo-soprano Michèle Losier makes her house role debut as the student Siébel and Russell Braun makes his in the role of Marguerite’s soldier brother, Valentin.

Gounod’s opera has been a staple of the Met’s repertory since 1883, when it was the first opera ever presented at the old Metropolitan Opera House.

McAnuff’s design team for "Faust" includes two Tony nominees in their Met debuts: scenic designer Robert Brill and costume designer Paul Tazewell. Peter Mumford, whose work at the Met includes "Madama Butterfly," "Carmen," and "Peter Grimes," designed the lighting for the production.

Choreographer Kelly Devine and video designer Sean Nieuwenhuis also made their Met debuts with this production. Mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato hosts. Barbara Willis Sweete directs the telecast.

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