London Philharmonic Orchestra - Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust

Hot on the heels of Principal Conductor Edward Gardner's triumph at the 2023 Gramophone Awards where Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage (LPO-0124) won the Opera Award, comes Gardner's second release on the LPO Label - Berlioz's spectacular The Damnation of Faust. Audiences have been captivated by Gardner's artistry, all ears are poised for this anticipated follow-up release. Half grand opera, half roof-raising choral-orchestral spectacular, Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust caused a scandal in 1846 when it was first performed, and with it's supernatural story and thumping good melodies, it's still one of 19th-century music's most rivetingly sinful treats. Recorded live at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall on 4 February 2023 with three-massed choruses and all-start cast, this release captures the drama of the opera. The performance and recording of The Damnation of Faust took place 4 February 4, 2023 and features an outstanding cast: Karen Cargill as Marguerite; John Irvin as Faust; Christopher Purves as Mephistopheles; and Jonathan Lemalu as Brander. Joining them is the London Philharmonic Choir,  members of the London Symphony Chorus, and the London Youth Choirs.