The case of Susanna Margareta Brandt, who was executed for infanticide in 1772 after becoming illegitimate and murdering her child out of panic over social exclusion, was used by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as a template for the Gretchen plot in his human drama Faust. The tragedy first part (1808). Numerous composers have set Faust to music for musical theatre: among them Louis Spohr (1816), Hector Berlioz (1846) and Ferruccio Busoni (1925). However, the most quoted version is certainly that of Charles Gounod (1859). The compelling and layered composition takes us into the romantic feelings of Faust's longing for Margarethe's love, illustrates the sinister temptations of the devil and sympathises with Margarethe's suffering.
Gounod's music shows a perfect balance between dramatic climaxes and lyrical passages. After its premiere in Paris, Faust quickly became a worldwide success. In his production, director Anthony Pilavachi (most recently Salome) explores the development of this complex female character, who falls victim to her seductiveness.

Introduction to the play
45 minutes before the start of the performance, the dramaturgy offers an introduction to the play in the theatre's glass foyer on the following dates. Admission is included in the ticket.