Faust

Going back in time and doing it over differently is one of the oldest fantasies in the book. In this opera the elderly philosopher Faust (a suave and stylish Niccolai Gedda in his debut season and role) gets just that chance, and in the twinkling of a devilish eye he is young, handsome, and smitten with the lovely Marguerite (sung by Hilde Güden at her most delectable). Of course the devil always gets his due, and in the end, Méphistophélès, here portrayed by Jerome Hines, wins Faust’s immortal. Robert Merrill is Marguerite’s unfortunate brother, Valentin, who sings one of the best-known tunes in all of opera.