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A date with the devil

by Matt McKillop

Few stories have been told more often, with more variants, than the story of the guy who sells his soul to the devil for fulfillment of his earthly desires. Strains of this legend are scattered throughout literature, music and film.

It is, however, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's dramatic poem, "Faust," that is undoubtedly this legend's most famous iteration.

A cornerstone of the German literary tradition, Goethe's poem continues to resound to this day through the Western cultural canon. In America, there is the famous tale of bluesman Robert Johnson selling his soul to Satan in exchange for peerless talent on the guitar.

The films "Bedazzled" and "The Devil's Advocate" are merely two recent examples of Hollywood's love for this legend. And don't forget Black Sabbath's heavy-metal epic, "We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll."

Perhaps the greatest echo of this tale, though, is Charles Gounod's 1859 opera, "Faust," based on Goethe's poem. West Bay Opera kicks off its 46th season tonight with its interpretation of the timeless drama of Faust, Mephistopheles and Marguerite. Performances will take place this weekend and next at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto.

The story begins with Faust, a philosopher, who is ready to commit suicide over his failure to discover the true essence of life. Just then, Mephistopheles (the devil) appears to Faust and offers him riches in exchange for his eternal service.

But Faust isn't interested in riches -- he'd rather enjoy the pleasures of youth. Mephistopheles tells Faust that can be arranged, teasing him with a vision of the maiden Marguerite and promising her to him.

So begins Faust's wooing of the gorgeous Marguerite. But, because Mephistopheles is none other than the devil, things predictably go wrong for the couple. In the end, there is some death, some redemption and plenty of insights into the human condition.

For many opera enthusiasts, "Faust" is familiar territory. As one of history's most revered operas, it is also one of the most often performed.

"The challenge is making it fresh and doing it well," said music director Henri Mollicone. "The director, Christopher Harlan, has some really innovative ways of looking at the piece. He's decided to put two mansions on stage, one representing heaven and the other representing hell."

Such innovations are a typical component of director Harlan's artistic vision, which runs counter to preconceived notions. For instance, many people believe the devil must have horns on his head and wear a black cape with red lining. Others, Harlan said, believe Faust must be 94 years old before he makes a deal with the devil to regain his youth.

"I haven't done any of those things here," he said.

Harlan talks favorably about the humor that runs throughout the piece, especially in the character of Mephistopheles.

"He teases people and makes fun of them. He's really very funny. But then, when he suddenly turns nasty, he's frightening. That's the kind of surprise I'm looking for."

John Minagro, one of the actors playing Mephistopheles, is also enthusiastic about the original approach being taken in this production.

"Christopher has brought some fresh ideas into it in terms of staging and our reactions to each other.... There's some really nice acting interpretation going into this piece."

The importance of acting is especially important with this production of "Faust," as there are two entirely different casts, with two people playing each of the major roles. One cast will perform one night and the other cast the next night. This arrangement allows the actors to avoid putting too much strain on their voices by performing on three consecutive days.

But audiences shouldn't be too concerned about which cast they see.

"Both casts are wonderful," Minagro said. "If I had to choose which of the actors I wanted to work with, I wouldn't be able to do it."

What: "Faust," presented by West Bay Opera in French with English supertitles

When: Tonight through Sunday and Oct. 19-21. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday.

Where: Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

Cost: Tickets are $38, with a special $19 youth ticket for those under 18 for Sunday matinees only.

Info:Call the box office at (650) 424-9999 Monday through Friday 1-6 p.m., or visit www.wbopera.org. Tickets may also be purchased from the Holt Building, 221 Lambert St., Palo Alto.