If I Were You

Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, Massachusetts

An Opera in two acts

Music by Jake Heggie

Libretto by Gene Scheer

Jim Petosa, director

William Lumpkin, conductor

Based on the novel Si J'etais Vous by Julien Green

Courtesy of The Estate of Julien Green and Editions Fayard

Opera commissioned by The Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, California

© 2019 Bent Pen Music, Inc.

Approx. duration: 2 hours

There will be a 15-minute intermission.

In this modern telling of the Faust story, the devil (Brittomara) makes a bargain with a dispirited young writer named Fabian Hart. He is given the supernatural power to move his soul and identity from person to person for as long as he likes; but, if he ever returns to his original body, he will die and the devil will collect his soul. On his precarious journey to win the heart of his beloved, he leaves a trail of human wreckage and hollow shells. In the end, will he choose to live forever as someone else, or die for love as himself?

Per Boston University and in compliance with the Town of Brookline, visitors must wear a mask when indoors and have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend a performance in Booth Theatre.

That verification can be done with:

• A CDC vaccination card
• A digital image of your CDC card
• An image of any official immunization record
• A COVID vaccine verification app
• A Boston University ID (current faculty, staff, or student only)