 | | Sophie and Richard in Faust |
Many cautionary tales may spring to mind when you set out for a shopping spree - we've all regretted hammering our credit cards or being that little bit too greedy at some time. But as a literal vision of mammon, the devil dancing in the concourses of the Meadowhall mall takes some beating. That fiendish spectacle was brought to the unsupecting shoppers of Sheffield by BBC3, as only the second of their innovative Flashmob - The Opera performances. Mob mentality The first public performance of this kind took place at London's Paddington Station in October 2004 and, like Faust at Meadowhall, was broadcast live. The concept is almost devilishly simple - taking its cue from the recent Flashmobbing craze, in which complete strangers converge for a spontaneous gathering, all organised secretly by text message. The key addition BBC3 have made to the concept is to bring people together to take part in an opera to be broadcast live on television. With a cast of professional opera singers, several local choirs, troupes of dancers, an orchestra, brass band and the production team rushing around after all of them filming live, the execution of the event was set to be anything but simple. The devil's debtor
 | | Sophie faces the devil in the food hall. |
Sheffield's very own Flashmob - The Opera on 7th April 2005, was a specially adapted contemporary version of the Faust legend. The best-known version in the UK, is Christopher Marlowe's 17th Century play Doctor Faustus, in which a scholar, greedy for
knowledge, power and material acquisition makes a pact with the devil only to meet his inevitable downfall when the devil calls in the debt. The story has resonated down the ages, with Goethe's telling of the Faust's downfall in particular, inspiring several operas, overtures and ballets, scored by the likes of Berlioz and Wagner. There's even a Randy Newman concept albumn of the story, featuring celebrity shopaholic Elton John. Appropriately for the venue, BBC3 have simplified the story and cast a fashionable young woman as the hapless soul in hock with hell. Sophie Faust (soprano Rebecca von Lipinski) is a high flyer who has sacrificed fulfilment and happiness to pursue
a successful career, thanks to a pact made years earlier with a handsome young man. Before the very eyes of watching shoppers and flashmobbers, the dapper Richard (baritone Mark Stone), Mephistopheles in a red suit, turns up to demand repayment. But help is at hand, in the form of Meadowhall Security Guard Danny (tenor Peter Auty),
who tries desperately to save the day. The supporting cast is impressive: following Sophie as she barrels around the busy concourses fleeing Mephistopheles, we collide with the Cantamus Girls Choir, arranged serenely on a staircase beneath one of Meadowhall's gleaming domes. Then there are dancers and strange, subterranean creatures clogging up the elevators. The Devil has the best tunes...
 | | Valkyries with buggies in Faust! |
The music too has something for everyone: well known arias from Madam Butterfly, Carmen and La Boheme crop up alongside the Hallelujah chorus and an affecting rendition of "Where is Love?" the song from the musical Oliver, sung by local nine-year-
old Hannah. In one of the most terrifying sequences, three poncho-ed shoppers emerging from the crowd to the strains of Wagner, turn out to be none other than the vengeful Valkyries - with buggies! Watch again and see behind the scenes If you weren't lucky enough to have been shopping when the secret performance took place, follow the links below and on the right to see clips of some of the best sequences from BBC3, see our picture gallery or read interviews with a local performer and the controller of BBC3. And just look out for the devil next time you're in shopping heaven..... | 
