Ever since my German Professor treated me to Gounod's Faust at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco earlier this month, I've had "Le veau d'or est toujour debout" running through my head. Goethe's story of a man willing to wager his soul for an experience of Divine Wisdom, and the epic struggle that ensues, is my favorite book. In the French version by Goundod, Faust gambles his soul in exchange for wine, women and song instead. In the English version by Marlowe, the exchange is for power and glory. It is interesting how the different cultures interpreted the story of Faust differently. The opera has multiple endings ... sometimes Faust loses and sometimes he wins. You never know how it will turn out until you see it. Th experience at the opera has reignited my passion for truly great music. While on home visit in New Hampshire, I picked up a second hand set of Opera Collection I by EMI Classics with arias from Cosi fan tutte, Carmen, Aida, La Traviata, Madame Butterfly, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, the Magic Flute, Norma, Tosca, Romeo and Juliette, Werther, Les Troyens, Samson and Tristan and Isolde filling the room while I work on Info Tech. These powerful songs remind me to enjoy even the moments of tension in life as part of the great drama of being fully human. We are in the midst of preparing for our 24th General Chapter and tension has begun to mount around the preparations .... discussing the upcoming elections of a new Congregational Prioress and Council, listening to the voices that challenge us from the margins,and identifying key areas on which we will choose to concentrate our collective energy in the coming 5 years. Meanwhile, this magnificent music is animating my days and nights. It puts me in a positive frame of mind and helps me to enjoy life as an unfolding love story of epic proportions, with bits of romantic comedy, intrigue, tragic undoings, and elevating acts of transcendant nobility all woven together in creative ways by our loving creative God. Treat yourself to a good recording of one of your favorite operas, and you'll see (or hear) it for yourself. I like to imagine God as a singer especially today as the thunder storms mount around us rumbling and crashing their cymbals. Now which of the SATB parts do you imagine God would be singing? I'm favoring the Baritone today.
