A rarely staged Italian opera is back on one of the world's most famous stages. Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele returned to Moscow's Bolshoi Theater on Saturday, 27 September, for the first time since 1909 — a gap of nearly 120 years.
The opera has always been a tough sell. When it premiered in Milan in 1868, audiences balked at its experimental style and sheer length: the original version ran over five hours. Over time, though, Mefistofele has been re-evaluated as a masterpiece, and it remains the only opera Boito ever completed — better known to many as the librettist behind Verdi's Otello and Falstaff.
The story draws on the Faust legend: the German scholar who strikes a deal with the demon Mephistopheles, trading his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure. The Bolshoi called it a rare gem of the Italian repertoire, and its return is a genuine event for opera lovers — productions of Mefistofele are few and far between anywhere in the world.
Heading the cast is bass Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role of the demon. He told AFP the production is wonderful and called Mefistofele one of the greatest works ever written for his voice type — high praise from one of the leading basses of his generation.
For travellers, this is the kind of story that makes a Moscow city break worth timing carefully. The Bolshoi's main stage is a destination in itself — a 19th-century landmark a short walk from Red Square and the Kremlin — and tickets to a premiere season of a work not heard there since the last Tsar's era are the sort of thing you plan a trip around. Even if your dates miss this run, the Bolshoi's calendar is packed year-round, and seats are often far more affordable than comparable houses in western Europe.
Pair an evening at the opera with the obvious Moscow highlights: Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral, the Tretyakov Gallery's Russian art, or a ride on the ornately decorated metro. It's a full weekend in one city, with a historic occasion as the centrepiece.
