La Damnation de Faust

Following *The Trojans*, which was named one of the ten best productions of 2025 by the *Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung*, Graz Opera continues its exploration of one of the most fascinating musical eccentrics of the 19th century.
In his 1846 masterpiece, the French master of sound, Berlioz, breaks down Goethe’s myth into vivid, individual visions and, through his artist’s tragedy—excessive in its means—creates a Romantic counterpoint to the classical reason-naturedualism of Goethe’s original.
For director Lorenzo Fioroni, *La Damnation de Faust* becomes a play of insight: the longing for simplicity and clear direction is met by the present with overwhelming demands and the imposition of complexity. The planned production interprets Berlioz’s idiosyncratic work as an invitation to a sensory thought experiment in which the mythical Faust narrative is reexamined and becomes a mirror of a world gone haywire.