'Faust': The hottest ticket in town

The dramatic final scene of the Royal Opera's new production of Gounod's Faust will only torment ticketless opera fans.

The dramatic final scene of the Royal Opera's new production of Gounod's Faust will only torment ticketless opera fans.

Tickets for the show, which stars the husband-and-wife partnership of Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu, sold out as soon as booking opened in February. The 67 day passes which were held back are now the hottest tickets in town.

Alagna plays the lead to Gheorghiu's Marguerite. Bryn Terfel makes his debut as Méphistophélès and Antonio Pappano is conducting. Gheorghiu, 39, the daughter of a Moldavian train driver, who was brought up in Ceausescu's Romania, "can do anything" according to the legendary conductor, Sir George Solti. He once said: "She's extremely musical in that the music dictates her emotions, and that's something I've seen very rarely."

The show, produced by David McVicar, opens tonight and will be shown live on BBC2 on 19 June.