Mefistofele

Ecco il mondo,
Vuoto e tondo,
S'alza, scende,
Balza e splende.
Fa carole intorno al sole,
Trema, rugge, dà  e distrugge,
Ora sterile or fecondo.
(Mefistofele, Act II, Scene II)

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma inaugurates the new season with Arrigo Boito's masterpiece, presented in a new production by the Capitoline theatre in co-production with Teatro Real in Madrid, directed by Simon Stone at his debut in Italy.

The opera was composed in 1868, initially in a prologue and five acts, to a libretto by Boito himself, and was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 5 March of the same year to little acclaim. The musician, therefore, decided to readapt and reduce it to a prologue, four acts and an epilogue. The opera was then presented at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna in 1875, achieving an extraordinary success. 

Inspired by Faust, the famous drama by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe from the early 19th century, Mefistofele is one of the most fascinating musical narrations of a pact with the devil and revolves around the eternal struggle between good and evil, which sees its decisive outcome in the melodrama's evocative epilogue.

On stage are great international performers such as John Relyea in the title role, Maria Agresta (Margherita and Elena) and Joshua Guerrero (Faust), accompanied by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, conducted by Michele Mariotti and Ciro Visco respectively.

Image: Costanzi Hall ph. Fabrizio Sansoni