Re: MEFISTOFELE - (chorus) - Arrigo Boito

[36Divine]

I have the Robert Shaw recording with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. A neighbor in the apartment next door once had his music too loud. I put this CD in and selected the Finale and turned it up. He got the message.

This music isn't something you hear, it's something you feel. It penetrates to your soul.....and beyond.

[phantasm1004]

This performance literally takes your breath away and leaves you overcome with emotion.

If you were not able to be present at this magnificent performance, the next best thing is to listen to a recording of this. Specifically, the Telarc recording with Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symph Orch and Chorus, John Cheek (Bass).

[cubanbach]

wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww­wwwwwwww

[e5acf4]

behold the power of music my friends :o)

[bb1111116]

With the right singers and the right production as we see here, this is my favorite opera. Breathtaking.

[traleecarmel]

I was at this perfomance... it was in September 1989. it was without a doubt the most moving operatic experience of my life. Ramey was perfection as the devil... and the ending with the heavenly chorus.. I can still feel the notes vibrating through my entire body.. What an amazing performance. Still get goosebumps watching it.

[loge10]

My God...

[guerrasantiago]

ese coro me hace erizar, fantástico

[maestrohughes]

I never get tired of the overwhelming rush of emotion I experience when I see this scene from this production. Absolute brilliance!

[rdormois1]

Of all the operas I've seen for over 15 years, this particular scene and music was the most profoundly moving of them all. It will always be my favorite and that place I go to in my mind to think about and feel peace.

[parzifal40]

Everytime I watch this I wonder if the performers had any idea of the magnificent gift the were giving the entire world......this is sheer perfection in an imperfect world....Thank you San Francisco Opera for your gorgeous performance....the men of women of the chorus are just BEAUTIFUL....

[21donbar1]

this performance from SF Opera is on video and DVD ......

[toccataforte]

I thought SFO didn't have an organ...

[Contrafidelis]

Stunning, moving, and very powerful.

Thanks for sharing !

[trondergirl]

Saw this in SF with Ramey. It was positively transcendent. I'll never forget it. The tickets were a wedding present, clearly the very best wedding present we received.

[GosfordAbercrombie]

E dei volanti!!!

[Goethefemme]

I saw this in San Francisco with Julius Rudel conducting, as he did when I saw it with Norman Treigle & John Alexander in Cincinnati. At the end of that performance people stood dumbfounded before it ended: tears streaming down their faces.

I've always wanted to play this chorus in church on Easter Morning with a good sound system.

[AmenmeriRa]

I encourage you to do it. This music is incredibly powerful, it transmits the idea of an countless myriad of souls hailing the Almighty in an everlasting hymn. I am not sure if this is the precise music you may hear in haeven, but it is certainly the music I would like to hear if some day I may manage myself to get there

[Goethefemme]

I have suggested it to no avail.

If you ever get to Ottawa, check out the cloister in the Art Museum. They have single-voice speakers on posts projecting old liturgical music. People lay on the benches and lose themselves in it. It's like a chorus of heavenly brothers standing around you in a garden. A very fine effect. I hope they still have it.

[AmenmeriRa]

Thanks on your sugestion. It sounds very interesting. I'll have it in mind.

[marioegorga]

Wow!!! this is what opera is all about !!

[parzifal39]

How I would have loved to be present for this performance.....the music is so heavenly, the chorus so perfect, and the visual effect is breath-taking. As was once said, this had to be the..."performance of a life-time." I simply adore it and can never watch it too often. How lucky it would be to live in San Francisco and have access to the world's greatest opera company. I would probably move into the theatre....Bravo, to the designer of this choral scene....genius in every way.

[PIPZZZ02]

This is amazing here but in the theatre the sound of the chorus was about the most astonishing thing I've ever heard. The designs by Michael Levine were outstanding.

[parabat7]

Are you sure designs by Levine. Robert Carsen produced 'an exact copy' of this in Geneva in 1987 with an enormously powerful Ramey and (he was not great ) Cupido in Denis's absence. I sang in the Geneva and the SanFrancisco versions at Carsen's request.

[PIPZZZ02]

Yes, certain. I was working at San Fran Opera when the production( which I believe was a co-prod with Geneva) was mounted. It was magic, and I told Michael Levine as much.

Lucky you to have been in both productions. The chorus work was unforgettable.The stream of sound was such that you couldn't work out what was going on. The chorus master told me that different groups blended in in sequence so the line remained unbroken. I'll never forget it!

[bassfanne45]

@parabat7 The original was Carson's back around the mid 80s, I think. It's amazing that a somewhat mediocre opera (in my opinion) could be transformed into this marvelous production.

[yaronsch]

Breathtaking !

[roydk06]

WOW.....ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. I saw the SF version of this on my local college station Valdosta State U and fell in love with it. Thank God for YOUTUBE. I LOVE THIS! HOW POWERFUL.

[MarinSwimmer]

There's a New York Times article about this production of Mefistofele by the San Francisco Opera. You can find it by "googling" mefistofele john rockwell new york times.

[parabat7]

This was a joint production with Geneva. I was in the Geneva chorus.

[castroosvaldo08]

espectacular¡¡¡¡ una de las mejores puestas¡