Director Balázs Kovalik described Boito as one of the most exciting and diverse personalities of Italian Romanticism. He used both parts of Goethe?s Faust and took great pains to capture the work?s deep philosophical and intellectual layers, Kovalik said. He diverted from Faust adaptations by Berlioz and Gounod, disregarding the Italian audience?s expectations of conventional opera, he added.
Boito?s style fell somewhere between the German and Italian operatic traditions, which put his opera in the repertoire of many of the world?s most important opera houses, Kovalik said.
As the title suggests, Boito concentrated on the bet between God and Satan, not the pact between Faust and Mephistopheles, in his opera.
The work?s fractioned and episodic structure, its visionary fantasy world and the avoidance of ready-made dramaturgical building blocks make Mefistofele a true modern opera, Kovalik said.
Mephistofele was first performed in Hungary in 1882, just seven years after its revised version was welcomed by Italian audiences.
Set designer Csaba Antal said the stage for the production will feature a giant image of a DNA double helix.
The title role will be sung by the young bass Mephistofele. Faust will be sung by Attila Fekete and Margherita by Gabriella Kiss Létay.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
