Faust at The Royal Opera: competent but uninspiring

Faust

Ossian Huskinson (Wagner) and Adam Palka (Méphistophélès)

Carolina López Moreno (Marguerite) in the Jewel Song

Stefan Pop (Faust)

Boris Pinkhasovich (Valentin)

By David Karlin, 24 May 2025

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“McVicar’s production is happy to lurch from one trope to the next”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 23 May 2025

Gounod, Faust

The Royal Opera

Maurizio Benini, Conductor

Sir David McVicar, Director

Charles Edwards, Set Designer

Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Costume Designer

Paule Constable, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Stefan Pop, Faust

Carolina López Moreno, Marguerite

Adam Palka, Méphistophélès

Monika-Evelin Liiv, Marthe

Hongni Wu, Siebel

Boris Pinkhasovich, Valentin

Ossian Huskinson, Wagner

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Competent but uninspiring: Gounod and McVicar’s Faust returns to The Royal Opera