Staff photo / Andy Gray
Jonny Kaufman plays the title character in Opera Western Reserve’s production of “Faust,” which will be staged Saturday at Powers Auditorium.

Opera Western Reserve will stage Charles Gounod’s “Faust” at Powers Auditorium on Saturday. In the past, OWR has waited until November to present its annual full-scale production.

Director Scott Skiba said they started rethinking the schedule in 2023 when it switched from Stambaugh Auditorium to Powers for the venue.

“I’m always looking several years ahead and planning,” he said. “Because we’re doing it at a different place, is it still the best time to do it? We are up against a lot of other things. In November it’s ‘Nutcracker’ season and recital season and holiday parties and all that stuff … It’s also a very busy theater production time. We thought it could be interesting to be first up in the season, open up the fall classical season, not be in contention with end of semester plays and musicals and other things going on. That’s how we saw we landed on that. We figured we’d give it a try.”

“Faust” is the most produced work by French composer Gounod (1818-1893). It tells the story of an aging man who makes a deal with the devil, selling his soul to regain his youth. He begins a passionate romance with a young woman named Marguerite, but deals with the devil seldom work out in the way the bargainer expected, and it’s no different in this tale of love, betrayal and redemption.

“It’s a great story, beautiful music,” Skiba said. “It’s the same composer who composed ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and that seemed to be well received several years ago, so we thought we would give this a try.”

Skiba said he can hear Gounod’s influence in such places as the score to “The Lord of the Rings” movies. In turn, he draws upon some cinematic reference points for his staging of “Faust.”

He chose a steampunk look for the production, and Faust is portrayed as a scientist who is keeping himself alive through his inventions when the show starts. That idea was inspired by the 1999 film adaptation of the television series “Wild Wild West.”

Skiba sees another movie’s influence in the character of Mephistopheles.

“I’ve been mentioning the movie ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ a lot in rehearsal, where Al Pacino is the devil,” Skiba said. “It’s sort of like we make our devil lovable. You’ll love to hate the devil.”

The cast features a mix of returning talent and performers making their Opera Western Reserve debut.

Jonny Kaufman, who sings the title role, appeared in OWR’s “La Boheme” and “Carmen.” Warren native Brian Keith Johnson (Valentino) has several OWR credits, and James Eder (Mephistopheles) was in the ensemble for last year’s production of “La Traviata.” Erica Petrocelli (Marguerite) is making her OWR debut, but she had worked with music director and conductor Susan Davenny Wyner in the past.

Skiba said he’s really enjoyed working with Kaufman and Petrocelli together in rehearsals.

“He’s just got a fantastic voice,” Skiba said. “There is a physicality and a lot of spectacle, but there are also a lot of moments where you just want to listen to them sing, and they’re a pleasure to listen to.

“Jonny and Erica, the size of their voices fit well together. I told them the other day as we were staging one of the love duets, ‘You’re doing great. You look great. It’s compelling, it’s interesting to watch.’ But I also said, ‘It’s just a real bonus that I really enjoy just listening to you two sing together.”

Opera Western Reserve always has drawn singers from about a 60-mile radius. Before he was named production director, Skiba (an associate professor of voice at Baldwin Wallace University) often carpooled to Youngstown from greater Cleveland to appear in its projections. Now some of his students are making the journey.

“My being director of opera studies at Baldwin Wallace, does lead to me saying, ‘OK, I know these folks who could participate.'”

If you go …

WHAT: Opera Western Reserve — “Faust”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Powers Auditorium, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets range from $30 to $80 and are available at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, online at experienceyourarts.org and by calling 330-259-9651.