Boito: Mefistofele / Serafin

Cavalli, Floriana; Siepi, Cesare; Serafin, Tullio; Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Del Monaco, Mario; Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Tebaldi, Renata

Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele is an opera in a prologue, four acts, and an epilogue, and is the only completed opera by the composer. While the opera wasn’t initially considered a success, the present recording aimed to bring the masterwork to the twentieth century listener. This production was recorded in 1957 in Rome with the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia and several stars of the twentieth century opera stage, including Cesare Siepi, Mario Del Monaco, Lucia Danieli, and more. Italian conductor Tullio Serafin’s numerous recordings testify consistently to his remarkable skills as an operatic conductor. Without exception they display a satisfying synthesis of the dramatic and lyrical, as well as respect for the singers involved. He recorded extensively in the studio with Maria Callas for Walter Legge and EMI; these recordings have stood the test of time well. Notable among these performances are those of Bellini’s I puritani and Norma, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Turandot, Verdi’s Aida and La forza del destino, and the popular as well as powerful double bill of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

Price: $39.98