Haverfordwest Operatic Society will join with Swansea City Opera this evening, Saturday, March 28, for a performance of Gounod’s Faust at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

The local choir will be on stage for a short scene and will participate off stage in some of the moments in the opera that require a larger choir.

Sung in English, this dark Gothic tale follows the fortunes of Faust, who weary of life, is contemplating suicide when he encounters Méphistophélès (the Devil). Faust agrees to exchange his soul for eternal youth and the fulfilment of his hedonistic wishes. The resulting journey balances romance and temptation; and is widely regarded as a magical and tuneful masterpiece, based on Goethe’s dramatic poem Faust, one of the great works of European Literature.

This production is set in the Victorian Gothic era and accompanied by chamber orchestra. Faust contains many well-known musical highlights including The Jewel Song and the Soldier’s Chorus and the soloists will be some of the finest singers in the country, including Alberto Sousa in the title role, Mark Saberton as Méphistophélès and Rebecca Goulden as Marguerite.

This is a rare opportunity to see Gounod’s finest work, regarded by many as a master class in operatic dramatic structure. Historically Faust was one of the most famous and performed of all operas, including being chosen to be the first opera to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Swansea City Opera has a proud history of producing high quality, accessible productions and is committed to making opera enjoyable for seasoned operagoers and people new to opera alike. Faust promises to be a captivating, stunning, magical treat for both the eyes and ears.

There will be a pre-performance talk about the opera and production at 6.15pm, given by the Artistic Director of Swansea City Opera, Brendan Wheatley.

The performance starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are available on the website www.torchtheatre.co.uk or from the box office on 01646 695267.