DVD: Mefistofele with Furlanetto, Theodossiou, Filianoti

Mefistofele (Boito). Teatro di Palermo 2008. Production: Giancarlo del Monaco. Cast: Ferruccio Furlanetto (M), Guiseppe Filianoti (F), Dimitra Theodossiou (Margherita/Elena). Conductor: Stefano Ranzani. Further information here.

In this Palermo production of Boito´s Mefistofele, Giancarlo del Monaco sets the action in a rather drab and incoherent imitation of Germany in the 1920´s combined with a Las Vegas show and abstract-figured sets reducing the characters to something less than this quite fine music deserves. Fine performances from both Filianoti and Theodossiou doesn´t make up for the orchestra not really being first rate.

If you only need one version of Mefistofele on DVD, there really is no reason to make it this one. Unless, you are a fan of Ferruccio Furlanetto, a quite convincing Mefistofele, though not exactly overshadowing Samuel Ramey on the only alternative Mefistofele on DVD - the quite spectacular San Francisco production, which remains a solid first choice for this work.

Act IV - scene with Helen of Troy (Theodossiou):

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Furlanetto: 4
Theodossiou: 3-4
Filianoti: 3

Ranzani: 2-3

Del Monaco: 2

Overall impression: 2