Before Andrew Lloyd Webber, there was Charles Gounod. By turning Gounod's philosophical drama Faust

If approached in the right , Faust is among the most entertaining opera in the repertury. Rooted in the French graud opera tradition, Gounod did not attempt to infuse his opera with social realism, as did both Verdi and Puccini in different ways and with equally lachrymose results. Faust is unapologetically fantastic; it is the familiar story of the scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for youth and the love of Marguerite, a chaste beauty. Gounod's music is as extravagant and emotional as the story demands, but the emotion is produced through charming melodies and dazzling orchestration rather than mere central

to complement his wide range.

The only serious flaw in the production, and it is a serious one, is the clear lack of attention to convincing acting. The music of Faust is readily available on CD; we go to a performance to see the dimensions of meaning which are lost in a libretto. Unfortunately, with the exception of Doss, the singers in this Faust might as well be in a recording or a concert performance. Acting is reduced to mannerism, often-as with Marguerite's mincing