Jan. 17: A Discussion of the Faust Project: a Jungian Perspective
Neil Wechsler directs a scene reading from The Faust Project by members of the APS of WNY
Wechsler and Heidelberger led discussion about Faust, hosted by the Analytical Psychology Society of WNY.
Playwright Neil Wechsler and composer Nathan Heidelberger will discussed their ongoing collaboration, The Faust Project, an adaptation of both parts of Goethe's Faust. Goethe's masterwork was of great interest to Jung, who wrote extensively about it. Indeed, it was key to Jung's work.
A close look at a few scenes illustrated the central importance of the relationship between Faust and Mephistopheles to the progression of the play, and what draws us to the Faust story, the themes it raises, and its relevance to our lives today. Wechsler commented on the unique challenges to a playwright arising with condensing Goethe's sweeping 17 hour original play to an hour-long presentation for four actors with musical accompaniment. Heidelberger touched on the musical component of the project, including a preview of his score.