Three of opera’s biggest stars – Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape, and Marina Poplavskaya –take the lead roles in a new production of Gounod’s beloved opera Faust, in New Zealand cinemas for a limited time from 9 - 20 February.

Jonas Kaufmann sings the title role for the first time at the Met, alongside world-famous Pape who reprises one of his greatest roles as Méphistophélès. They are joined by riveting singing actress Poplavskaya who takes on the iconic role of the victimized Marguerite.

Tony-winning director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Tommy, Broadway’s upcoming Jesus Christ Superstar) makes his Met debut with his new staging of Faust. His production, which sets the action in the early part of the 20th century, casts the opera’s timeless themes of sin, temptation, and redemption in a more contemporary light.

McAnuff says, “While I am fascinated by history and I’m a great admirer of this work, I’m interested in its pertinence to now…We’ve spent a lot of time making sense of Faust for today.”

The director and his designers use images of recent time as a cornerstone of their account.

McAnuff explains, “It starts at the end of World War II with the detonation of the atom bomb, then goes back to Faust’s youth, which would be at the beginning of the First World War.”

“The events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki really changed the world forever. And I think the Faust legend really prophesised that in a very pertinent way…(Faust) acquired ultimate knowledge, which I think applies in a horrifying way to the nuclear bomb and our ability to destroy ourselves. I’m interested in the personal responsibility…I think that’s the Faustian journey… ”

Gounod’s score is famous for a variety of well-known arias and ensembles, including Marguerite’s coloratura showpiece “Jewel Song,” Faust’s longing ode to Marguerite “Salut, demeure chaste et pure,” Méphistophélès’s irreverent hymn about the pleasures of sin, “Le veau d’or,” and the final trio, in which all three voices join in a battle for Marguerite’s soul.

In addition to Kaufmann and McAnuff making their Faust debuts, gifted young conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who led the critically acclaimed Live in HD transmissions of Carmen and Don Carlo in recent seasons, will conduct his first Met performances of this opera.

Gounod’s opera was performed on the opening night of the old Metropolitan Opera house in 1883, and has been a staple of the Met’s repertory ever since. It was the most-performed opera at the Met for much of the early twentieth century and is still among the top 10 most frequently performed operas at the Met.