Romanian opera lovers will be able to watch a live, high-definition transmission of the Faust opera from Covent Garden at the Bucharest National Opera on September 28. The opera, which will feature Romanian Angela Gheorghiu, will be part of the first live transmission of a Royal Opera House – Covent Garden show to Romania. The same show will also be live in Timisoara, at the Central University Library "Eugen Todoran". The Bucharest national Opera plans to broadcast live shows from other lyrical theaters in the world, such as Bolshoi Teatr, Arena di Verona, La Fenice theater in Venice, The San Carlo theater in Napoli, Scala di Milano, the Opera in Paris.

The event will start at 21,00 hours in Bucharest. Faust, by Charles Gounod, will be interpreted by a team made of Angela Gheorghiu as Margareta, Vittorio Grigolo (Faust), René Pape (Mefisto), Michèle Losier (Siebel), Daniel Grice (Wagner) and Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Valentin). The show will be conducted by Evelino Pidò.

The Bucharest event has triggered a re-scheduling of the planned Artmark auction on September 28, which will be moved on September 29, at 19,30 hours.

Tickets for the Bucharest Faust broadcast cost RON 45 and can be bought from the National Opera box office.

Faust is a grand opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. It debuted at the Théâtre Lyrique (Théâtre-Historique, Opéra-National, Boulevard du Temple) in Paris on 19 March 1859.

Angela Gheorghiu, who initially said she was planning to withdraw from the Faust opera, is a Romanian opera singer and one of the most famous contemporary sopranos. Often compared to Maria Callas, she is known for her powerful and flexible voice, stage presence and the way she brings to life very different opera characters. Read more in our Famous Romanians article dedicated to her.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Angelagheorghiu.com; photo credits: Catherine Ashmore)