Rehearsals began last week,but for months the Santa Fe Opera's staff has been working on the props and set for a full version of Gounod's Faust, which opens the opera's 2011 season.

A masterpiece of the opera repertoire, Faust "dominated the charts" in the century after it debuted in 1859, according to Charles MacKay, the company's general director.

But this will be the first time it has been presented by the Santa Fe Opera — and this production is the real deal, including both the Walpurgisnacht (spring festival) and the Act 5 ballet, often omitted to save money.

"It's a very big show," SFO production chief Paul Horpedahl said.

The story of the opera is well known. Méphistophélès persuades the aged Dr. Faust to forfeit his soul in return for the opportunity to seduce a beautiful young woman. After drinking a magic potion, he is transformed into a handsome young man.

In this production, the devil appears in various guises, including a circus showman, soldier, surgeon and priest.

MacKay calls Faust a "very 21st-century story" and is touting the opera as family entertainment because of its great melodies — some of them world-famous — and a huge cast that includes singers, acrobats, roller skaters, freak-show freaks, ballet dancers to play the seven most beautiful women characters in opera, and even a stilt-walker played by the opera's technical director, Eric Moore.

For the downstairs crews, Faust, one of the season's biggest challenges, is their chance to shine.

"It really does showcase every aspect of the production department," Horpedahl said, "from specialized hair and makeup pieces, to the amazing costumes — particularly for dancers and acrobats — the special machinery needed to operate the show, the craftsmanship of the scenery and painting, the incredible assortment of props, even the lighting department with all the special effects.

"It has given every department the opportunity to pull out all the stops."

An elevator that will be used to raise the coffin containing Méphistophélès to the stage level for his first appearance ("Me Voici") was built in shop.

So were the costumes for the bearded lady, the Siamese twins, Tom Thumb, the Fat Man and other carnival characters, most of whom will be played by performers from Wise Fool New Mexico, a nonprofit theater-arts project.

Months ago, the prop shop began making hundreds of books for Faust's study using the covers from volumes of bound periodicals purchased at a public-library sale in Albuquerque. The team substituted foam for the magazines to make the books lighter on the trap and painted the bindings.

On a recent workday, apprentices were busy welding, wiring and painting the props and sets, primarily for Faust and The Last Savage. (Bohème and Wozzeck are remounts from previous seasons, and Griselda's set was painted by the artist Gronk.)

LoRyn Williams, in her second season at the SFO, was painting cherry pies, also carved from foam and covered with tissue. And master prop carpenter David Levine was working on the trick wheelchair.

Outside the prop shop door was a small pump organ purchased by properties director Randall Lutz, along with stops and keys bought on Craigslist. SFO carpenters built the "pipes," and Jeanne (JJ) Hu fashioned a new bench for the organ. Travis Pigman made two copies of a prie-dieu — a kneeler — which has appeared in operas and apprentice scenes in the past.

The SFO borrowed a real organ for the summer so that some of the opera's organ music will be played live, either from a trap room or the orchestra pit.

In the basement, Mark Edlund, the opera's scenic charge, was working on the carousel animals for the fair in Act 2. Using the set designer's sketches, he's carved a golden calf, two horses, a pony and a deer from blocks of 1 1/2 pound foam. The heads, legs and tails are separate pieces so that plywood supports can be inserted inside. The internal structure will be used to bolt the animals to a steel mechanism, allowing them to move up and down like figures in a real carousel. The figures also have to be big enough and strong enough to support a person.

The carved figures will be sealed and sanded, then painted. The golden calf is fitted with a CamelBak hydration system and a pump that will shoot wine out of its mouth in Act 2 while Méphistophélès sings the rousing song "Le Veau d'or."

Scenic artist Hunter Lloyd swung his leg over the saddle of the deer. He and Edlund discussed the angle on the deer's antlers while Jesse Connor applied a foam coat to one of the horses to strengthen the carved form. The motors for each animal are mounted inside the black platforms on which they sit.

Nearby, master carpenter Greg Blanke and a crew were working on the engineering of a 16-foot diameter Ferris wheel. Hundreds of LED lights will be mounted on the spokes, around the rim, on the cars and on the side walls of the set.

All this will come together on opening night, July 1.

Although Faust was eventually displaced in popularity by Madame Butterfly, Tosca and La Bohème, the romance, poetry and magic — and the story of making a pact with the devil — will draw in 21st-century audiences and "glue you on your seat," MacKay predicted.

As for the young ones, "It's a little PG, just because there are some startling moments," Horpedahl admitted, "but nothing over the top. It's a great show to bring kids to."

Contact Anne Constable at 986-3022 or aconstable@sfnewmexican.com.

'FAUST,' BY CHARLES GOUNOD

Conductor: Frédéric Chaslin

Director: Stephen Lawless

Scenic designer: Benoit DuGardyn

Costume designer: Susan Willmington

Lighting designer: Pat Collins

Choreographer: Nicola Bowie

ARTISTS

Marguerite: Ailyn Perez

Marthe: Jamie Barton

Siebel: Jennifer Holloway

Faust, through Aug. 1: Bryan Hymel

Faust, from Aug. 8: Dimitri Pittas

Valentin, through Aug. 8: Matthew Worth

Valentin, from Aug. 8: Christopher Magiera

Méphistophélès: Mark S. Doss

Wagner: Darik Knutsen

SANTA FE OPERA 2011 SCHEDULE

Faust: July 1 (opening night), 6, 9, 15; Aug. 1, 8, 15, 20, 24, 27

La Bohème: July 2, 8, 13, 22; Aug. 2, 6, 10, 13, 16, 23, 26

Griselda: July 16, 20, 29; Aug. 4, 9, 19

The Last Savage: July 23, 27; Aug. 5, 11, 18, 25

Wozzeck: July 30; Aug. 3, 12, 17

For ticket information: Visit www.santafeopera.org.