It is the seventh season in which Stefan Pop appears in the shows of the famous scene, which is now part of the Royal Ballet and Opera, the new name of the London institution.
Ștefan Pop, Faust old. © 2025 Marc Brenner
Covent Garden disappeared from the official title, but I noted him because the public and the readers are familiar with his fame. The repeated presence of the tenor on the illustrious scene, as well as the world -renowned others in Paris, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Naples, Venice, Vienna, Salzburg etc. They are due to the reputation built after the spectacular winning of the first prize at the Great Competition Operalia-Plácido Domingo, along with the Rolex Award, in 2010.
This time the role offered was Faust from Gounod's homonymous work, to resume the historical production signed by the reputed director David McVicar, along with collaborators Charles Edwards (decorations), Brigitte Reiffenstuel (costumes), Paula Constable (Lumini), Michael Keegan-Dolan (choreography). For the now, the sixth after the 2004 premiere, director Peter Relton and choreographer Emmanuel Obeya, who repeated intensely with the soloists. There were a total of seven shows carried out between May 21 and June 10. An effort. A co -production with Opéra de Monte Carlo, Opéra de Lille and Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, Trieste.
The quality of Stefan Pop's voice is known for the beautiful lyrical stamp with spine inserts, with the sound of freshness, penetrating, wide, on extended and homogeneous ambitus over all registers, noted for the science of expressive song.
This was presented from the first melodic formulation when the thorough construction of the role began, as Faust old and, after the despair produced by the failure of its own philosophy “Je ne sais rien”, trying to imagine a hypothetical saving nature “Le Ciel Pelit” observed, the decision of the suicide was heroic! Or through the libation brought to the poison cup, “Pourquoi Trembles do you dance Main?”. In the stasis full of revolt in which he was, Faust sings, in force, throwing the imprecation “Maudites Soyez Vous, ȏ Voluptés Humaines!”. I felt the need to detail these avalanches of various experiences, which Stefan Pop exposed from the depths of the soul. They were uprising.
Walpurgia's night. Adam Palka and Stefan Pop. © 2025 Marc Brenner
Mephisto (Adam Palka) entered the fever and passionate “Je Veux La Jeunesse!”. The pact signed and Faust came out of the crate of Miracles with a devil trident in his hand. Symbolic reflection due to McVicar.
The second act, the scene of Chemeza, gives Ștefan Pop at the appearance of Margareta (Carolina López-Moreno), the first sweet-seductive lyricism sentence completed by an acute imperial and natural “! In the same way, the emotional act III would continue, with the cavine “Hi! Demeure Chaste et Pure” and the Great Duet with Margareta, in which he communicated the degree of spiritual ascension of the one who had regained his youth, poetic, evocative, subtle in expressions of feelings coming from the depths, and everything, Acute shiny and infinite (“La Présence d'Ane Innocente et divine!”), with a refined conclusion. Mastery … Although the environment was not inspiratory, we will see immediately.
Ștefan Pop and Carolina López-Moreno. © 2025 Marc Brenner
The duet with Margareta. The tenor has brought clear float floats with sublimated legato, for passages such as “Laisse-Moi, Laisse-Moi Contempler Visage”, “o Nuit d'Amour! ,, Ciel Radieux!” Or “Divine Preté! … Chaste Innocence …” atmosphere of irradiated love, of total seduction. I must note that in the lyrical or dramatic song of Stefan Pop. It feels a so-called “tear”, but not in its own sense, but in that of an intention of expression, of emotional living. Rare Italian source today.
The third parties Faust, Mefisto, Valentin (Boris Pinkhasovich) of Act IV and Faust, Margareta, Mefisto from the last scene of the work had Stefan Pop in the foreground which, as a whole, made in “Faust” a special creation, of merit, on a famous stage.
Ștefan Pop. © 2025 Marc Brenner
Partner in the role of Margarita was the young soprano Carolina López-Moreno, with a voice of pure, juvenile, hot stamped and with beautiful phrase. Acute notes are safe and intensely colored, around the whole. Debtant in the role, I have to be analyzed, studied and exposed in the show the depths of the character in particular in the elegiac “ballad of the king of Thulé” and in the area of jewelry, then to know how to receive the chemistry of Faust in the duet. The almost imponderable pianisms liked. Margareta's struggles in the scene in the church (Act IV, “Seigneur, Daignez Permetre”) and the end of the work were the best moments of the soprano that sees a good artistic career perspective.
Adam Palka and Carolina López-Moreo in the church scene. © 2025 Marc Brenner
Mefisto outlined by Adam Palka was a vocalist with intensely colored bass voice and baritone reflections. The Rondo “Le Veau d'orst Toujours Debout” but also the scene in the church full of sarcasm and irony, served it the most and highlighted its demonic spirit, yes, more than the essential act or serenada. Instead, the humor in the stage with Martha Schwertlein was tasted and sparked chuckles in the room from an easy -available public.
Boris Pinkhasovitch. © 2025 Marc Brenner
A large -scale lyrical baris pinkhasovich (Valentin) of which “ȏ Sainte Médaille” and Arie “Avant de Quitter Ces Lieux” depicted a relevant line, as a vocal line, as a prayer. At the passive, I would reproach the lack of more detailed nuances highlighted in the stage of death.
Mezzosoprana Hongni Wu was Siebel in Travesti, casual, with a differentiated light broadcast to the high notes where it feels placed “in the back” and, however, it acquires some harsions. The song “Faites Mes Aveux” from the third act.
The remaining roles, Martha and Wagner, returned to the Meszosoprana Monika-Evelin Liiv and Basului Ossian Huskinson, good compressions.
The conductor of the evening on June 2, as well as the others, was Maurizio Benini at the desk of the Royal Opera Orchestra, the royal opera choir having the training due to William Spaulding. As usual, the instrumentalists have been highlighted by the sound quality of all parties, through precise simultaneous attacks, by homogeneity. Benini is an experienced who knew how to give dynamic, tension, majesty, but also subtlety, with appropriate tempi. However, the regret came from the direction of elongations of the musical discourse in act III, at Margareta's house, the place of the love meeting.
Adam Palka in the scene of Chemeza. © 2025 Marc Brenner
The choir had the great achievements in the scene of Chemeza, at the return of the soldiers from the fight (“Glore Immorttel de Nos Aieux”) and through the funeral murmur that accompanies Valentin's death. Remarkable moments.
Finally, the installation. The directorial team conceived Mizacanscena quite eclectic, even though it moves it to Paris during the years 1870-90, at the beginning of Belle époque. Margareta. As we note, the third act had no atmosphere of a night of love in the middle of nature, but among buildings with gray and dry walls. The scene in the church seemed to me a strong symbolism, mefisto disguised in Christ and surrounded by his cherries, torment Margareta in the sounds of the orgs … Faust. Next to the last painting, of the prison full of the visions of the main heroine's silhouettes, they made me the impression of the most successful moments of the director. Finally, Faust “regains” his old age.
Carolina López-Moreno and Stefan Pop. © 2025 Marc Brenner
The costumes are detailed and spectacular, especially in the dance scenes.
The night of Walpurgia is mainly a ballet defiled in hell. He danced, to tell him, “in love”, overwhelmingly, with traveled mefisto and with crazy sex scenes.
One by one, the London audience saw and applauded Stefan Pop in “Faust” in June, but the Bucharest will have this chance on Sunday, at the National Opera, along with its international notoriety partners, Anita Hartig (Margareta) and Erwin Schrott (Mefisto), in Revivalthe 1998 mounting of Alexandru Tocilescu.
