Faust et Hélène

Faust et Hélène is a cantata (occasionally staged as an opera) written by Lili Boulanger in 1913 to a libretto by Eugène Adenis.^[1] It was written for the final round of the Prix de Rome music competition, which she then won, becoming the first woman to receive its first prize.^[2][3][4]

Boulanger's sister Nadia applied to the Prix de Rome competition four times and attempted to win thrice, though she never succeeded. In 1912, aged eighteen, Boulanger entered the competition for the first time, reaching the final round but ultimately withdrawing due to illness.

The following year, she reentered, with her cantata Soir sur la plaine for the first round and Faust et Hélène for the final round, finally winning the prize alongside Claude Delvincourt.^[3][5][6] Per the competition's rules, Faust et Hélène was composed in a villa over a span of four weeks. During this time, Boulanger had no access to a piano or any musical instrument.^[6][3]

Faust et Hélène received many performances during Boulanger's short lifetime.^[5][6] In modern times, the work has been recorded by the BBC Philharmonic^[7][8] and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra (2013), and performed in concert by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.^[9][10]

In 2022, the work received a concert performance by the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest and a staged performance by the New Camerata Opera on a double-bill with Maurice Ravel's one-act opera, L'heure espagnole.^[11][12] The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra produced a concert performance of the work in 2023.^[13]

Faust is persuaded by the demon Méphistophélès to sell his soul to eternal damnation in return for seeing the beautiful Helen (Hélène) of Troy just one time. Faust enters a troubled sleep, so Méphistophélès sends spirits to watch over him. Faust wakes up and demands that Méphistophélès summon Hélène. Hélène is summoned, but rejects Faust's love as she does not want more men to die for her name. Faust persists, kissing Hélène and filling her with desire and the awareness that she is yet again alive. Méphistophélès interrupts their passion, informing the pair that Hélène must be taken back to the grave or Faust will be forced down to hell. Faust is so enamored with her that he cannot let her go, until the ghost of Paris comes forward from a crowd of ghostly figures from the Trojan War conjured by Méphistophélès to claim her. Faust attempts to fight the ghost, but is struck down by sword.^[1][14]

The cantata explores Hélène's sexual agency as a woman and her power over men.^[12]

A typical performance of Faust et Hélène lasts roughly 30 minutes. The work is late-romantic in style and references Parsifal and Tannhäuser by Wagner.^[4] It has also been said to be inspired by Debussy.^[3]