The striking feature about this Faust revival (the 25th showing of a production by Nicolas Joel and Stéphane Roche) was that the full solo cast was giving role debuts in the house. An interesting prospect featuring a line-up of fine artists - all of whom are all familiar here, but in different repertoire. However, the ensuing melange proved to be a reminder of how easily the challenge of Gounod’s linchpin in French operatic repertoire can be underestimated.

Anita Hartig’s Marguerite fared best overall - while yet lacking the ideal grounded tone and vocal weight to fully satisfy as the role’s dramatic demands increased. Her intensity and ideal stage demeanour carried the interpretation much of the way, together with a bright vibrant timbre which projected with ease while maintaining sufficient stamina to stay the testing course.

In the title role, Jean-François Borras initially impressed with his superb diction, sensitivity, and often eloquent phrasing - yet the ongoing performance failed to blossom, remaining occasionally patchy in vocal emission and lacking generally in personality and vigour.

Luca Pisaroni cut a strikingly-dapper figure as Méphistophélès but fell somewhat between the demonic and humorous stools interpretively - lacking the sonority and sheer vocal beef to be vocally menacing, and the quirky personality and stage craft to otherwise compensate. "Le veau d’or" was a stretch - and although the less challenging orchestration of later scenes assuaged to some degree, a general lack of reserve deprived this reading of the aplomb and nonchalance required to make it truly soar.

Orhan Yildiz had difficulty sustaining Valentin’s tessitura and extended legato phrases (with several precarious moments in his opening aria), and barely rose in standard beyond routine throughout the evening with his rather wooden reading.

Augmenting the leads were Rachel Frenkel’s compact Siébel, Clemens Unterreiner’s energetic Wagner, and Rosie Aldridge’s flirtatiously-buxom and subtly-comic Marthe.

The State Opera Chorus (particularly the male section) guaranteed for some rousing moments - at times challenged by the brisk tempi (albeit wisely considered) of Simone Young in the pit, who managed the musical proceedings throughout with particular acumen and sensitivity.