The tent glides on skids, is pushed aside quickly by the gibbering naked wise men when Faustus steps out of it; it is swerved around and off to the side so that the back of the stage opens, and at the moment a sinking sun illuminates a gorgeous scene of lush forest and a riverside in golden aural light. There, women are bathing their children who play.

***

The music excerpt is

Concerto in G “alla rusitica”, RV 151, by Antonio Vivaldi.

***

The image of the society of Gymnosophists is taken from

an medieval illuminated manuscript of the Romance of Alexander.