Historia von D. Johann Fausten is an opera by the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998) in three acts, with introduction and epilogue to the German libretto by Jörg Morgener (Jürgen Köchel) and Alfred Schnittke after the anonymous prose book of the same name (published by Johannes Spies in 1587).
Director: John Dew, Hamburg State Opera, Conductor: Gerd Albrecht Published by Hans Sikorski (Hamburg) also mixed chorus; silent roles; ballet; orchestra 3.3.3.3/4.4.4.1/, 5 percussion players, organ, 2 synthesisers, electric guitar, bass guitar, and also old instruments such as Zwerchpfeif (long military flute), crumhorn, lute and zither.
The chorus and narrator introduce the audience to Dr. Johann Faustus, ‘the widely famed magician and necromancer’.
Faustus agrees to sign with his blood the contract to gain knowledge and power and to give in return his soul to the devil after some years.
However Mephistopheles threatens to kill him and forces Faustus to sign a new contract, now with ‘the mighty God, Lucifer’.