a rube goes to the Opera

 My first mistake upon entering the Opera House of SF for only the second time in my life - was to ask the woman at the door where I could get a "brochure". She said to me: "You mean a program?"
After seeing the Opera "Faust" yesterday at the beautiful SF Opera house, which is always the true star of any event there, I read some of the reviews, which were tepid. Most reviewers disliked one of the leads- Stefano Secco, who played Faust. Pictured above is the actor Gustav Von Wangenheim, who played the hapless protaganist in F.W. Murnau's classic film "Nosferatu".  Watching the opera it struck me how similar the singer Secco was in appearance to this old silent film actor. Hence, I had a soft spot for Secco the singer, who also played his role a little in the style of Gustav in Nosferatu. After all Gustav faced evil as did Faust.
Other reviewers have snidely compared Secco to Elton John and feel him to have played the role as too much the dandy.  Rube that I am, I thought he had a beautiful voice - as stellar as the other great voices in this production.

 Secco as Faust with Marguerite

The roles of Marguerite, her brother Valentin, and Siebel as performed were gorgeous.

 Marguerite with the excellent Mulligan as Valentin
 Those who know something of Opera have told me to ignore the story and just consider the music.

 Daniela Mack is excellent as the young man Siebel
If so, then the music itself was not as enjoyable as was the only other performance I have seen - Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Can you compare ballet and Opera. Probably not.
I was disappointed in the banality of the story of Faust.
Very impressed by the beauty of the voices I have mentioned.
The orchestration did not match that of Prokofiev. Did not really enjoy the music per se.
Much ballyhoo has accompanied the singer who played the devil - Relyea.

Perhaps it was just that the orchestra overwhelmed his vocals at our matinee, but his voice did not compel. He played the devil for laughs in most instances.
His character, and the production, was at its most effective when he and the orchestration emphasized the frightening overtones, rather than the humorous aspects of Mephistopheles.
Overall, it was disappointing as regards the "story" but I have been told by thems that knows something - that at the Opera - the story aint the thing.
Bravo.