In September 2013, San Francisco Opera staged a remarkable production of Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele, and KQED viewers have an opportunity to watch a recorded broadcast of this production tomorrow evening, August 24.
Regarded as one of the most impressive productions ever staged at the War Memorial Opera House, Mefistofele – based on Goethe’s version of the Faust legend – has a libretto by Boito, with the distinction of being the only opera that the Italian composer and librettist completed.
This production stars Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov making his staged debut in the title role. Tenor Ramón Vargas is the philosopher Faust who sells his soul to the devil, and soprano Patricia Racette sings the roles of Margerita, the village girl who is the object of his desire, and Elena (Helen of Troy) when Mefistofele transports Faust back in time to Ancient Greece. Direction is by Robert Carsen.
San Francisco Opera’s Music Director, Nicola Luisotti, conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus in this production which is sung in Italian with English supertitles.
The broadcast, which is hosted by Frederica von Stade and Matthew Shilvock, General Director of San Francisco Opera, takes place on KQED 9 on Thursday, August 24 at 9.00 pm.
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