Based loosely upon the first part of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's epic tragedy of the same name, Faust is a 19th Century opera by French composer Charles Gounod that was so resoundingly popular in Europe that many elements of the opera have seeped into the continent's popular culture. The story follows a young man named Faust who encounters the devil (Mephistopheles) at a village dance where he also falls madly in love with a young woman named Marguerite. Faust strikes a deal with Mephistopheles in order to obtain the affections of Marguerite and tragedy ensues. Translated into over 25 languages at the height of its popularity, Faust became the first staged work to bring to the masses Goethe's masterwork in operatic format.
