The Israeli Opera Tel-Aviv-Yafo
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    Opera

    Mefistofele

    Mefistofele

    Arrigo Boito

            
     

    Libretto: the composer after the play Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

    First Performance: Teatro alla Scala, Milano, March 6, 1868

    First Peformance at the Israeli Opera: January 28, 2009

    Conductor           Omer M. Wellber
    Yuval Zoran
    Director Jean-Louis Grinda
    Set Designer Rudy Sabounghi
    Costume Designer Buki Shiff
    Lighting Designer Laurent Castaingt

     

    Soloists          

       

    Mefistofele Paata Burchuladze
    Ramaz Chikviladze 29.1 , 31.1 , 5.2 , 10.2
    Faust Hugh Smith
    Carlo Scibelli  29.1 , 31.1 , 4.2 , 6.2 , 10.2
    Margherita Michele Crider
    Larissa Tetuev  29.1 , 31.1 , 3.2 , 5.2 , 7.2 , 10.2
    Elena Mirela Gradinaru
    Wagner Felix Livshitz
    Marta / Pantalis Shira Raz
    Galina Malinsky 30.1 , 4.2


    The Israeli Opera Chorus

    Conductor: Yishai Steckler

    Ankor Children Choir
    Conductor: Dafna Ben Yohanan

    The Opera Orchestra - The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion

    Sung in Italian

    Surtitles in English and Hebrew
    Surtitles: Israel Ouval

    The Italian version of the Faust story in which an old learned man sells his soul to the devil and becomes a young lover. An exquisite choral opera in a classic production with striking costumes by Buki Schiff.


    Synopsis

    Production's Album



    Photos: Yossi Zwecker        


    Dates

    Wed 28.1.09 (20:00), Thurs 29.1.09 (20:00), Fri 29.1.09 (13:00), Sat 28.1.09 (20:00),

    Mon 1.2.09 (20:00), Tues 3.2.09 (20:00), Wed 4.2.09 (20:00), Thurs 5.2.09 (20:00)

    Fri 6.2.09 (13:00), Sat 7.2.09 (20:00), Mon 9.2.09 (20:00), Tues 10.2.09 (20:00)

    Towards Opening: Sat 24.1.09 (11:00)

    Opera Talkback: Thurs 29.1.09, Mon 1.2.09, Mon 9.2.09


    Reviews

    The Israeli Opera production is one of the most beautiful and impressive ever to be presented on its stage. The visual richness is stunning in its beauty replete with the clouds projection at the beginning, the lighting and the colorful costumes. This opera has a lot of place for the chorus and the director Jean Louis Grinda gives the chorus special dramatic power. (Elyakim Yaron, Maariv, February 1, 2009)

    Boito's music is full with fire and conductor Omer Wellber creates a very impressive result out of it. Wellber not only conducts with vitality he also adds an extra dimension when the plot weakens. Legendary bass Paata Burchuladze conquered the stage and filled our hearts with extraordinary grand singing as Mefistofele the devil. Michele Crider as Margherita was sensational and her singing in her death scene was very emotional. Hugh Smith as Faust had beautiful moments. (Ora Binur, Maariv February 1, 2009)

    "Costume designer Buki Shiff made stunning costumes … Paata Burchuladze is amazing in the lead." (Thomas Tillmann, Online Musik Magazin)

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