Like many artists, Busoni also idealized the figure of Faust and for over a decade he devoted himself to the composition of Doktor Faust, his last work which remained unfinished at his death (it was later completed by his pupil and collaborator Philipp Jarnach). Deeming it impossible a direct comparison with the most illustrious literary source - Goethe's Faust - Busoni preferred to examine several sources for the preparation of the libretto including the puppet shows of the German tradition, the drama The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe , obviously without neglecting the great Goethe. Thus was born a work with a strongly symbolic value also accentuated by the formal arc articulation used, which includes an initial symphony, two recited interventions, two prologues, a scenic interlude and three paintings. The central episode, which sees Faust as a magician at the court of Parma during the celebrations for the wedding of the duke and duchess, is in fact surrounded by other episodes which, as antecedents or precedents, are placed in a mirror image according to analogies and symbolic references and musical. Without denying the lessons of the past, Busoni adopts a multifaceted writing that also combines dissonances, diatonic and chromatic scales, counterpoint, Renaissance dances and opera arias.

Thanks to Fondazione CR Firenze, the performance of 02/11/2022 is offered to the public with a 50% discount on tickets for each sector

The Maggio offers a special offer for Valentine’s Day: two tickets for the price of one to facilitate entry as a couple for February 14th. “Couple” tickets can be purchased directly at the ticket office, without formalities, or on the website by entering the discount code: DOKTORFAUST14SANVALE

New staging

Thanks to Intesa Sanpaolo for the support

We inform the kindly audience that the date of 19 February 2023 at 3.30 pm has been cancelled.
We will provide all informations as soon as possible.

The performance of February 14, 2023, will be broadcast live on Rai Radio 3

After the Symphony, piano recordings by Ferruccio Busoni will be released

PRESS RELEASE