The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is mounting a production of Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele which will see it’s prima on Tuesday March 16 at 8:30 Rome time. The double cast performances will all be under the baton of Mr. Renato Palumbo who appears to be accepting appearances just about everywhere across the globe. COMMANDOpera marvelled not a little to find the only publicity photograph to do with the production is a photograph of the main Margherita, Miss Amarilla Nizza. Lovely girl that Miss Nizza is visually, don’t be overly concerned on this point. The soprano owns a rather intense vocal instrument we wish we might hear in North America at some point. Consonant with this artist as to how this performance will be held together is the young Bulgarian Bass Mr. Orlin Anastassov pictured below as the main Mefistofele. The buzz surrounding the muscular 32 year old within informed opera circles is deafening. You see this man has eyes you cannot take your eyes off of. Mr Anastassov is the first individual which COMMANDOpera has ever heard informed operaphiles agree on as the first real successor to Miss Callas as a visually rivetting presence on stage.

Shockingly and depressingly this is where the brilliant casting of this production goes brutally south. And COMMANDOpera means through a manhole. The main Faust is none other than Mr. Stuart Neill. No offense to Mr. Neill, but his entire top register has moved consistently beyond strident and unpleasant to ragged and painful. COMMANDOpera does not enjoy declaiming such egergious words (however rightful) about any artist, nevertheless it is incorrect for a theatre of the pre emminence of The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma to engage a tenor with a vocal instrument of this decay. And the other Faust? Mr. Walter Fraccaro.

The run will be double cast as follows; Mefistofele Orlin Anastassov (16, 18, 20, 23) / Francesco Palmieri (17, 19, 21), Faust Stuart Neill (16, 18, 20, 21, 23) / Walter Fraccaro (17, 19), Margherita Amarilli Nizza (16, 18, 20, 23) / Teresa Romano (17, 19, 21), Marta Chiara Chialli (16, 18, 20) / Letizia Del Magro (17, 19, 21, 23), Wagner Amedeo Moretti, Elena Amarilli Nizza (16, 18, 20, 23) / Anda-Louise Bogza (17, 19, 21), Pantalis Chiara Chialli (16, 18, 20) / Letizia Del Magro (17, 19, 21, 23), Neréo Maurizio Rossi (16, 18, 20, 23) / Luca Battagello (17, 19, 21).

For the enlightenment of readers, COMMANDOpera will submit videos of the three principals in roles other than those from Mefistofele for the sake of appreciating the vocal instruments discussed here.

Mr. Anastassov sings Zaccaria’s opening air and cabaletta from Nabucco. Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa 2004. Seriously, whoever paid attention to Zaccaria before?