''Faust et Hélène'' is a

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

(or one-act opera) written by

Lili Boulanger Marie Juliette "Lili" Boulanger (; 21 August 189315 March 1918) was a French composer and the first female winner of the Prix de Rome composition prize. Her older sister was the noted composer and composition teacher Nadia Boulanger. Biography ...

in 1913 to a libretto by Eugène Adenis. It is with this composition that Boulanger became the first female winner of the Prix de Rome for music, at only 19 years old, submitting this work for the final round of the competition.

Background

Lili Boulanger's sister, Nadia Boulanger, applied to the Prix de Rome competition four times, attempting to win three times, but was never successful. In 1912 at age 18, Lili Boulanger entered the competition for the first time, reaching the final round but ultimately withdrawing due to illness. L. Boulanger reentered for a second time, with her cantata ''Soir sur la plaine'' for the first round and ''Faust et Hélène'' for the final round, finally winning the prize alongside

Claude Delvincourt Claude Étienne Edmond Marie Pierre Delvincourt (12 January 1888 – 5 April 1954) was a French pianist and composer of classical music. Biography Delvincourt was born in Paris, the son of Pierre Delvincourt and Marguerite Fourès. He studied ...

. ''Faust et Hélène'' was composed in four weeks, with no piano in a villa per competition rules.

Performance history

''Faust et Hélène'' received many performances during Boulanger's short lifetime. In modern times, the work has been recorded by the BBC Philharmonic and

Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra The Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra (KSO, Norwegian: ''Kristiansand Symfoniorkester'') is a Norwegian symphony orchestra based in Kristiansand. The KSO performs its concerts primarily at the Kilden Performing Arts Centre, and also at Kristians ...

(2013), and performed in concert by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2022, the work received a concert performance by the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest and a staged performance by the New Camerata Opera on a double-bill with

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

's one-act opera, ''L'heure espagnol''e. The

Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra or LNSO (''Lietuvos nacionalinis simfoninis orkestras, LNSO'') is one of Lithuania's two national orchestras,Jonathan Bousfield ''Baltic States'' Rough Guides 2004 p97 "Classical music, opera and ballet; ...

produced a concert performance of the work in 2023.

Roles and synopsis

Faust is persuaded by the demon Méphistophélès to sell his soul to eternal damnation in return for seeing the beautiful Helen (Hélène'')'' of Troy just one time. Faust enters a troubled sleep, so Méphistophélès sends spirits to watch over him. Faust wakes up and demands that Méphistophélès summon Hélène. Hélène is summoned, but rejects Faust's love as she does not want more men to die for her name. Faust persists, kissing Hélène and filling her with desire and the awareness that she is yet again alive. Méphistophélès interrupts their passion, informing the pair that Hélène must be taken back to the grave or Faust will be forced down to hell. Faust is so enamored with her that he cannot let her go, until the ghost of Paris comes forward from a crowd of ghostly figures from the Trojan War conjured by Méphistophélès to claim her. Faust attempts to fight the ghost, but is struck down by sword. The opera explores Hélène's sexual agency as a woman and her power over men.

Musical analysis

A typical performance of ''Faust et Hélène'' lasts roughly 30 minutes. The work is late-romantic in style and references '' Parsifal'' and '' Tannhäuser'' by Wagner. It has also been said to be inspired by Debussy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faust et Helene Compositions by Lili Boulanger Cantatas Operas French-language operas One-act operas Operas by women composers 1913 operas Operas based on Goethe's Faust 1913 compositions Music based on Goethe's Faust