Like many other composers, Goethe's dramatic masterpiece Faust also inspired the work of the French composer Hector Berlioz. He was so captivated by the piece that he set himself to composing its certain scenes as early as at the age of twenty. Due to the complexity of its contents, he did not feel confident enough to complete the work until he was forty.
The Damnation of Faust is not an opera in the traditional sense but rather a dramatic cantata or an opera in concert. Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust is recognised and praised for its vivid orchestration, dramatic scope and emotional depth. It features several memorable musical moments, including the iconic Rákóczi March and the eerie Dance of the Ghosts.