The fascination of Faust

Numerous European poets and composers have treated the German Faust legend. The first play before Goethe's was written by the Englishman Christopher Marlowe. Literary figures such as Paul Valéry, Mikhail Bulgakov and Thomas Mann tackled the subject after Goethe. Musical adaptations of the Faust material came from Richard Wagner, Charles Gounoud and Hector Berlioz.