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Once the most popular opera of the nineteenth century, Gounod's Faust fell into decline during the twentieth century.
But the piece has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years, not least thanks to David McVicar's controversial production at Covent Garden.
This mid-price reissue of Colin Davis' account of the work on Philips was originally recorded in Munich in 1986, when the conductor shared a particularly close relationship with the Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
The team is in especially good form here, warm and lyrical, but always with an eye for pacing the music through its five acts thanks to Davis' trademark dramatic thrust. It's a shame that he doesn't conduct quite so much French music nowadays, for he has a natural instinct for its atmosphere (as his recordings of Berlioz's operas and Saint-Saens' Samson et Dalila show, for instance). Indeed, it's about time he was brought in to conduct the Royal Opera's McVicar production.
Francisco Araiza underwent a huge extension of his repertoire in the 1980s, increasingly moving away from the Mozart and Rossini roles for which he was famous into more Romantic and heavy repertoire. Faust is one example of this, but although his voice probably did suffer a little under the tension (as the critics were keen to say at the time), it is impossible to resist so compelling a performance as the one he offers here. It really is the tenor's opera, and Araiza revels in the opportunity to spread his dramatic wings. There's beauty and scarcely a hint of strain in his singing of the cavatine, ‘Salut! Demeure chaste et pure', whilst the more dramatic duet in the opening act shows a youthful spirit and a full tone. Araiza's account of the role is not to be missed.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa made far too few complete opera recordings during her stage career, so it's good to have this recording of her singing Marguerite. Indeed, it's almost worth buying it for her ten-minute solo scene in Act III, including the Song of the King of Thule and the Jewel Song. Her radiant tone makes the former poignant, whilst her incredible coloratura satisfies the challenge of the latter in every way.
Completing the trio of principals, Evgeny Nesterenko brings dark tone to the role of Méphistophélès. The depiction of the devil in this opera is complex, requiring both a seductive and a sinister demeanour in equal measure. Nesterenko is spot on with both requirements, and it's one of his best recordings.
Andreas Schmidt is tender as Valentin, Pamela Coburn is a firm-toned Siebel, and the great Marjana Lipovsek suits the sassy role of Marthe down to the ground.
The star, though, is Sir Colin, drawing lively playing from the Munich orchestra.
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