Act 3, Sc. 1 (Marguerite’s room—the “Spinning Scene”: The prelude, the offstage mockery of Marguerite’s former companions, and “Il ne revient pas” are as in the grand opera, but with an important change: though the scene is designated as in Marguerite’s room, it is actually played on the street in front of her house, spinning wheel and all. This creates an an entirely different set of conditions for all that follows, and is part of an envisioned sequence for the short tableaux of this act, in which this scene, the return of the soldiers and the confrontation between Valentin and Siébel, the Church Scene, the Serenade, Duel Trio, and Valentin’s Death are played straight through without a change of set.^(I) After “Il ne revient pas,” Siébel enters. In dialogue, he swears to pursue the man who has abandoned Marguerite. But Marguerite confesses that she still loves him, and recounts the moment when Faust left her at cradleside in the company of his evil companion. Siébel now sings his song, but it isn’t “Si le bonheur,” but rather two stanzas called “Versez vos chagrins dans mon âme!”, wherein Siébel foreswears his romantic pursuit of Marguerite and avows loyal friendship. Marguerite then leaves to enter the church, the only house in town that will still welcome her. Marthe now enters, excitedly informing Siébel (in dialogue) that Valentin and the returning soldiers have been seen entering the town. Extremely flustered, and pleading with Siébel to leave Marthe strictly out of any recounting of recent events, she leaves Siébel to face Valentin.

Act 3, Sc. 2: The soldiers march onstage. They sing what we now know as the introduction to the Soldiers’ Chorus, “Déposons nos armes.” After the greetings between Valentin and Siébel, Valentin sings a ballad about the heroics of battle and his sister’s beauties, rather in the tone of the G.I. bragging about his girlfriend. This stands in place of the Soldiers’ Chorus. In dialogue again, Valentin recounts the death of Wagner in combat, and relates that thanks to Marguerite’s medallion, he was spared. But now, as in the grand opera, Siébel’s hesitant replies arouse Valentin’s suspicions, and he enters the house.

Act 3, Sc. 3 (the church): The church wall opens. We have Marguerite’s prayer with first choral response. The pillar next to her opens, and Méphistophélès leans in to sing “Souviens-toi du passé.” But he sings no more in the scene. Instead, the scene plays as a duel between the Heavenly and Demonic choruses, with the latter taking many of the lines later assigned to Mephisto and Marguerite interspersing her increasingly desperate entreaties. She falls senseless. Siébel and others rush to assist her. The church wall closes.