Internationally renowned organist Stephen Tharp plays Czech Composer Petr Eben's Faust.

On Wednesday evening, March 9, internationally known concert organist Stephen Tharp will be at St. Luke’s to perform “Faust” by Czech composer Petr Eben. Chicago actors Jill Shellabarger and Roger Mueller will perform dramatic readings from Goethe’s Faust in alternation with the organ work’s nine movements. Northwestern University Professor Jesse Rosenberg will deliver a pre-concert lecture. Professor Rosenberg is on the faculty of the Music School and of the German Department. The lecture begins at 7:00 pm; the concert with readings begins at7:30 pm. Requested donations to benefit St. Luke’s “Opus 327” foundation are $20 general admission and $10 students and seniors.

Petr Eben (1929-2007) was the premier 20th century Czech composer for organ. Eben wrote, “Relentlessly confronted with evil during my early youth, interned at the concentration camp in Buchenwald for the last two years of WW II, I have often returned to the question of good and evil throughout the course of my life. The theme has always influenced my artistic creations.”

Eben’s Faust cycle for organ dates from 1980 and portrays a drama between Faust and Mephistopheles, following closely Goethe’s great Faust text. In 2001, at the request of concert organist Stephen Tharp, Eben provided his own excerpts from Goethe to be read in alternatum with the music during performance. This had never previously been done. As the narrative choices were given to Mr. Tharp by Eben himself, this performance will likely be the first time this graphic score has been performed in the United States paired with readings chosen by the composer. The dramatic nature of the music calls for a rich color palette, from restrained to absolutely overwhelming, making the St. Luke’s Skinner organ an ideal vehicle for the score.