Boito: Mefistofele

Arrigo Boito (Composer), Oliviero de Fabritiis (Conductor), National Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Della Jones (Performer), Luciano Pavarotti (Performer), Mirella Freni (Performer), Montserrat Caballé (Performer), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Performer), Nucci Condo (Performer), Piero de Palma (Performer), Robin Leggate (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Della Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Montserrat Caballé, Nicolai Ghiaurov, et al.
• Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Oliviero de Fabritiis
• Composer: Arrigo Boito
• Audio CD (May 10, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000787WVK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #186,866 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. Preludio

2. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. Ave, Signor degli angeli e dei santi!

3. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. Ave Signor!

4. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. T'č noto Faust?

5. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. Siam nimbi volanti dai limbi

6. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Prologue. Salve Regina!

7. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 1. Perchč di lŕ?

8. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 1. Al soave raggiar di primavera

9. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 1. Sediam sovra quel sasso

10. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 1. Dai campi, dai prati

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Su, cammina, cammina, cammina

2. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Folletto!

3. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Ascolta!

4. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Popoli! E scettro e clamide

5. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Ecco il mondo

6. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 2. Scene 2. Ah! su! riddiamo, riddiamo

7. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 3. L'altra notte in fondo al mare

8. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 3. Dio di pietŕ! son essi!

9. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 3. Lontano, lontano, lontano

10. Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Act 3. Sorge il dě!

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar performances, December 18, 2006

By	Mr JB (Karlskrona Sweden) - See all my reviews

This clearly underrated opera is at last given fair justice in the CD catalogue. For, with this specific recording at this price, one needs no longer hesitate, this is now the top recommendation.

It's primary strengths are the conducting of Maestro de Fabritiis and the Faust of Pavarotti. de Fabritiis here manages, unlike for example, Serafin and Rudel, to achieve a great sounding whole performance, of a piece in which there is always the risk of just presenting many great sounding numbers/moments in a row. The spaciousness in tempi may not appeal all, but it largely contribute to the feeling of a spirited whole. The only conductor to partially present a threat to de Fabritiis is in my opinion the almost totally unknown Ivan Marinov on a hard to find recording from the Bulgarian State opera on the Capriccio label. Marinovs singers though, are less notable, although the "lontano, lontano" duet is the best I've ever heard, and the coro of the prologue is just - heavenly. That recording has some flaws though, but at half the price of this, still a good bargain for those on a budget.

Pavarotti, not always one of my favorite tenors, is in glorious voice and presents the true poetry of Faust's character and music. His 'Dai campi', the second act duet with Margerita on believing (or not) in religion, the duet with Elena beginning with "Notte cupa, truce", and the "Giunto sul passo estremo" just before the closing of the opera are just a few mentioned highlights of a great performance. Where Domingo (normally my choice before Pavarotti) for Rudel sounds totally uniform and bland, Pavarotti expresses. And where del Monaco for Serafin is rather hard on the border to coarse, Pavarotti is thoughtful. The only tenor to make a portrayal that comes in the class of Pavarotti's is di Stefano, also for Serafin (but only as highlights of the opera).

Ghiaurov's Devil is rather noble and well-sounding, compared to for example Treigle (Rudel) or Christoff (Gui). Lacking something of pure evil, as you find in Christoff (Gui), Siepi (Serafin) and Ramey (Muti), he still is mightily impressive. Freni is as always, well inside her role and beautiful in voice, which naturally also goes for the luxury casting of Caballe as Elena - Her duet with Pavarotti is especially fine. The rest of the cast is very good, and it's nice to hear Piero de Palma sing the role of Wagner again, as he did 25 years earlier on the Serafin/Siepi/Tebaldi/del Monaco set, still sounding fresh and urgent.

The rivals then? Well, if thinking of this as a showcase for a bass, I must say Siepi (Serafin) and Christoff (Gui) are the best - good fun, and both have darker voices, preferable in a opera such as this. Ramey (Muti) is also good fun, but he's almost the only listenable singer in that set. Ghiaurov is not the first choice devil, nor in timbre, nor in character, but his voice and projection is first class, none the less.

As for the ladies, Freni also has stiff competition, in Tebaldi (Serafin) & Caballé (Rudel) primarily. Her greatest point is in presenting a woman more obviously troubled than both Caballé and Tebaldi - the former almost too sweet, the latter slightly detached though beautiful on the ear. Fans of either of the women will like their special performances. Having all, I slightly prefer Freni. Caballé though, has no match in the catalogue as Elena, with her magically spun tone.

So this set has 3 top of the list performances from it's leads, and the most fluent & sensitive conducting. So, only if the Devil's role is of the greatest importance to you, you might want to look elsewhere, even though you wouldn't go far wrong with Ghiaurov. As for myself, this set is now the one I will come back too for the over-all performance, still keeping the Siepi/Tebaldi/di Stefano/Serafin highlights close to my heart, definately so for the devil.

Last, for those who pays interest in useless detail - the Decca people, has choosen to give this release of the recording a catalogue number that ends with 666!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ghiaurov is a master, August 7, 2005

By	Alexander Graves (Tuscaloosa, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews

Arrigo Boito never completed his opera detailing the conflict between Nero's pagan Rome and the growing Christian movement; this is a supreme tragedy in operatic history, for this account of the Faust legend is wondrous. Oliviero de Fabritiis sets the National Philharmonic on fire with the score and drenches the listener in a highly atmospheric thrill ride from the glorious nebulous regions of space (Heaven), to the festive Easter celebrations in Frankfurt-on-Main, to the genuinely demonic Walpurgis Night bacchanal on the Harz, to the dreamy, winsome Classical Sabbath.

Nicolai Ghiaurov was a denizen of the role of Mephistopheles, Gounod's configuration of Lucifer, and he made several superb recordings in the role. However, his performance here surpasses them all. His Mefistofele is infallible, invincible, unstoppable; his "Credo" ("Son lo spirito che nega") is worth the entire recording. "Ecco il mondo," in which he compares a chalice to the entire planet, is also spectacular; he is chilling when he mockingly contemplates the unutterable tortures he has in store for the faithless who dispute his existence. In short, for Ghiaurov fans or aficionados of the deep register, this is an essential performance.

Pavarotti is marvelous as the searching philosopher Faust. Domingo (due to the natural depth of his voice) may have been more dramatically appropriate in the Julius Rudel (EMI) recording, but Pavarotti surpasses him here vocally. His Act I aria ("Dai campi, dai prati") is lyrically sumptuous, and his redemption ("Giunto sul passo estremo") is truly touching and heartrending. Mirella Freni may be mature for some tastes as Margherita, but I found her splendid; she was not, as far as I could tell, tested by "L'altra notte in fondo al mare," a somewhat unnerving aria that was musically far ahead of its time. Montserrat Caballe is radiant as Helen of Troy (Elena) and shines perfectly in the seductive, whimsical Act IV duet ("La luna immobile") with Della Jones as Pantalis. Caballe and Pavarotti are achingly beautiful in their subsequent duet.

The aforementioned Rudel recording features Norman Treigle as Mefistofele and his interpretation is one definitely worth hearing. His is a snarling, gravelly Satan, while Ghiaurov is thunderous, sonorous, and imperious. In any event, there is nothing wrong with having both recordings. One will certainly not be bored with either one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, May 30, 2005

By	G. Golding (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is too bad that Boito did not not write more music. His melodic gift is stupendous. Try NOT to join in the chorus that concludes the Helen of Troy act. What notes! All the singers are wonderful, Freni giving a blockbuster portrayal. What a glorious spinto voice this is, always used to thrilling effect. Buy it. It cost mee $50 years ago and now it's cheap!