Most helpful customer reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Boito resurgence in San Francisco. Lucky us!, Sep 12 2003
Boito's opera is certainly the least successful of all the adaptations inspired by that cornerstone of Western literature,
Goethe's Faust. Poor Boito was hardly in the same league as Berlioz, Gounod or Liszt. Although it has great sense of theatre,
a very good libretto, it lacks good, hummable tunes the likes of
Gounod's Faust. It is an awkward, long winded work and had to be revised several times.
Boito tried too hard to include as much as possible of Goethe's
metaphysical play searching for the great unanswered questions like man's purpose on earth, his relation to God, Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell etc. It is hard to tell if Boito has
succeeded.
And yet, the opera survived, not the least due to this magnificent production, and came through with flying colours. There is much to admire here: a highly imaginative concept, some great singing and very sympathetic conducting by Maurizio Arena.
He seems in love with the score and it shows.
In the title role, Samuel Ramey dominates the performance, his voice is worthy follower of all the great singers of this role like Feodor Chaliapin and Boris Christoff. His acting is mesmerizing. Secondly, Gabriela Benackova, with a beatiful voice and wonderful characterization is truly impressive in the tragic role of Margherita. As Faust, Dennis O'Neill is somewhat less memorable, but with an attractive voice.
The opera, unfortunately, is not immediately appealing, but it gets better as it goes along. After a bit rocky first act, the second act quartet and subsequent love duet are already quite good, while the third act is very highly inspired.
Great highlights are the Prologue in Heaven with its bemasked Seraphim in a silver and blue Baroque theatre setting; the ingenious double choruses in Walpurgis Night (conducted here in a
tongue in cheek manner by our protagonist, Ramey); the very moving Prison scene where Benackova shines, and the Epilogue.
Outstanding, very enjoyable DVD. Highly recommendable.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sheer splendor, Oct 30 2003
The 1989 performance of the San Francisco Opera's production of Boito's 'Mefistofele' could not have been more brilliant, more vibrant, more beautiful. It was captured well during the original performance and the transfer to DVD was superb. Having not seen the show performed live, I should state that I am at a bit of a loss in that department, but having seen enough operas live in my days and having recorded them as well, I can safely say that this particular DVD is well worth the money.Ramey's performance is without question phenomenal. The supporting cast shines as well, but in contrast they are merely props to his indomitable presence on stage. He owns the role and he steals the show. The staging, lighting, set design, choreography, and costuming are without a doubt some of the best opera has ever seen or will ever see. If ever a company could capture both the choirs and angels in heaven and the sin and vice on earth so perfectly, the SanFran Opera Co outperforms on all levels. The sound quality on the DVD is excellent and the picture was great. Overall, any and all opera fans should add this one to their collection. For that matter, any and all stage/theater fans should pick this one up, as well. You will not be disappointed.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply astonishing, the way seeing the sun explode would be astonishing., Jul 10 2009
I found myself in San Francisco, where I had traveled for a trade show, lined up for a ticket at the opera house. Then I found myself, second row back on the right of the house, orchestra level, swept up in one of the most wickedly imaginative productions of opera that I've ever seen in my life -- and that comparison holds true today, 2009, some twenty years later. Back home I was reduced to gibberish trying to explain it to my wife. But...PBS had their cameras there, and a couple of years later, I was able to get my hands on a tape. Now she knows, too. A minor complaint: the production featured full-frontal nudity where it was not only appropriate, but vital to convey the profoundly evil nature of the walspurgisnacht; and a fully nude Benackova to emphasize Margurite's purity in the apotheosis. None of that made it into the PBS version, and that's too bad. It was extraordinarily expressive, and not pornographic. Samuel Ramey at his best...what more can I say. Buy it!
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