Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust ****
Barbican Hall, 19th September 2017
“Diff! Diff! Belzébuth, Belphégor, Astaroth, Méphisto!” Once the hissing demons had greeted Méphistophélès, Faust’s soul successfully delivered after their Ride into the Abyss, calm was restored to the Barbican Hall. If we couldn’t join the angels as Marguerite was welcomed into heaven, then the angels could descend to us. Just shy of a hundred children from the Tiffin Choirs filed noiselessly into the Stalls to help deliver the celestial epilogue. Sir Simon Rattle, turning to face us, smiled beatifically at his cherubic charges. With rippling harps accompanying this heavenly host, it wasn’t just Karen Cargill (Marguerite) holding back the tears.
Bryan Hymel and Sir Simon Rattle
© Doug Peters | PA Wire
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