BOITO : MEFISTOFELE

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 30th of October 2011 at 3.03 - 5.20 pm

BOÏTO: Mefistofele, an opera in four acts with prologue and epilogue, with libretto by the composer, based on Goethe's Faust
2016
Mefistofele.................. Ildar Abdrazakov
Faust............................ Ramon Vargas
Margherita/Elena......... Patricia Racette
Wagner........................ Chuanyue Wang
Adam........................... Luke Lazzaro
Eve............................... Brook Broughton
Marta........................... Erin Johnson
San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Nicola Luisotti

2011
Mefistofele.............................. Ferruccio Furlanetto
Faust...................................... Giuseppe Filianoti
Margherita/Helen of Troy........ Dimitra Theodossiou
Marta..................................... Sonia Zaramella
Wagner.................................. Mimmo Ghegghi
Pantalis................................... Monica Minarelli
Teatro Massimo, Palermo Chorus & Orch/Stefano Ranzini (Naxos 8.660248)

INTRODUCTION 
SYNOPSIS
LIBRETTO (Italian)

In this version of the FAUST story,  Mefistofele gets top billing in the title, though he is still the villain, and he loses out in the end, as first Margarita (Gretchen = Gretel) and then Faust find redemption and go to sing in the heavenly choir. (This is going one better than Gounod.)

I have two recordings of MEFISTOFELE and one of NERONE. If you like this Naxos recording you can buy it! I also have the video recording of this SAnFran performance, with Patricia Racette as poor Margaret and also Helen of Troy!

GOETHE IN MUSIC
"Music begins where words end" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)