One cannot blame Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) for wanting to free his opera, Doktor Faust, from the overpowering influence of Johann von Goethe. The German poet cum statesman/scientist did not invent Faust. Yet, his long, hybrid Faust, which is neither play nor poem, so monopolizes the legend of the man who made a pact with the devil, it casts a wide shadow.

Christopher Marlowe wrote the first known Faust play. He obtained a translation of a story turned into legend published in Frankfurt in 1587 about the life of magician and alchemist Dr. Johann Georg Faust (about 1480-1540), born in the Württemberg region. Ever since, writers and musicians have been eager to build a work around this essentially moral tale about the consequences of seeking power and knowledge at the cost of compassion and human dignity. Faust had obtained a degree in divinity from Heidelberg University in 1509, and was well known to Melanchthon at Wittenberg. The combination of a divinity degree with an interest in alchemy lent itself well to creating myths about a pact with the devil in an age when superstitions ruled the mind more than knowledge. Today, a person like Faust most likely would be called a scientist.

But, back to Busoni's great opera. For reasons I cannot fully understand, it is greatly neglected in favor of Charles Gounod's Faust. Even Hector Berlioz's concert stage work, The Damnation of Faust, gets more attention. Perhaps this comes about because Gounod and Berlioz both make no attempt to distance themselves from Goethe's work. What is worse, their operas bring out the sentimental aspects of Goethe's version, which may appeal more to an audience than one in which Faust is not necessarily redeemed. Marlowe's play leaves Faust's end ambiguous. Salvation of his soul may or may not occur. The audience must decide. Goethe's ending has Faust redeemed, carried off to Heaven, snatched away from the power of Hell. It is, what I call, a typically Goethian ending, which is not intended as a compliment.

While Busoni could not totally escape Goethe's influence, he did so remarkably well. His dual background—born to a German mother and an Italian father— caused a certain friction in his personality, and at times he felt at home in neither country, especially during WWI. He sat the war out in Zürich, where he worked on Faust, after having started it in Berlin. He returned there in 1920, where he died four years later, leaving Faust uncompleted. A student of Busoni's, Philipp Jarnach, did this for him, and the opera premiered in Dresden in 1925. There is another version by conductor Anthony Beaumont, who came across some previously unknown sketches by Busoni. His version premiered in Bologna in 1985.

Internationally acclaim Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan leads the orchestra and chorus of the Zürich Opernhaus in the Jarnach version. The sound is excellent in this live recording, as is the stage direction by Klaus Michael Grüber. The lighting and photography for the original TV presentation take great advantage of the uncluttered set by Eduardo Arrovo and costumes by Eva Dessecker.

As mentioned at the beginning, Hampson is a commanding presence in this production. His voice and acting create a powerful Faust, whom one is drawn to and repelled by at the same time. He is well complemented by fellow American, tenor Gregory Kunde, who sings and acts Mephistopheles with chilling elegance.

The cast list is huge; let it suffice that all executed their roles with bravura to make this a satisfying experience on one's s home entertainment unit.