Classical Music Forum banner

???

Round One:Boito: Mefistofele / Act 1 - Sono lo spirito che nega. Treigle and Siepi

2.1K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  Hoffmann  
#1 · (Edited)
Mefistofele, Act 1 Scene 2: "Son lo spirito che nega" (Mefistofele) · Norman Treigle/London Symphony Orchestra/Julius Rudel
Cesare Siepi Son lo spirito che nega
 
#2 ·
  • Thanks PHOENIX
Son lo Spirito che nega
sempre tutto; l’astro, il fior.
Il mio ghigno e la mia bega
turban gli ozi al Creator.
Voglio il Nulla e del Creato
la ruina universal.
È atmosfera mia vital
ciò che chiamasi Peccato,
Morte e Mal!
Rido e avvento questa sillaba:
No.
Struggo, tento, ruggo, sibilo:
No.
Mordo, invischio,
struggo, tento, ruggo, sibilo.
fischio, fischio, fischio, fischio, fischio!
(Fischia violentemente colle dita fra le labbra.)
Parte son d’una latebra
del gran Tutto: Oscurità.
Son figliuol della Tenèbra
che Tenèbra tornerà.
S’or la luce usurpa e afferra
il mio scettro a ribellion
poco andrà la sua tenzon,
v’è sul Sol e sulla Terra
Distruzion!
Rido e avvento questa sillaba:
No, ecc.

I am the spirit who denies
everything always; the stars, the flowers.
My sneering and my hostility
disturb the Creator’s leisure.
I want Nothingness and the
universal ruin of Creation.
My vital atmosphere is
what is called Sin,
Death and Evil!
I laugh and snarl this monosyllable:
No
I destroy, I tempt, I roar, I hiss:
No.
I bite, I ensnare,
I destroy, tempt, roar, hiss,
I whistle, whistle, whistle, whistle, whistle!
(Placing two fingers between his lips, he whistles
piercingly.)
I am part of the innermost
recesses of the great All: Obscurity.
I am the child of Darkness
who will return to Darkness.
If now light usurps and seizes
my sceptre in rebellion
the fight will not last long,
over the Sun and over the Earth
there hovers: Destruction!
I laugh and snarl this monosyllable:
No, etc.
 
#4 ·
Treigle is wonderful at portraying Mefistofele. He captures the darkness of character and also the playfulness of the repeated refusals, "No." Must have been a joy to watch him do this onstage.

Siepi has a huge cavernous inky black sound that fits Mefistofele to a T. He's wonderfully evil and snarly. I love how he enunciates the Italian. He's appropriately authoritative and arrogant, wonderful portrayal. I find his overall timbre to be more menacing than Treigle's so I'll vote for him.
 
#10 ·
I always thought that Treigle was an actor and probably not that great a voice....all this by reputation, I had not heard him. He got such acclaim for his Mefistofeles but was always a new York City Opera singer.....must of been an actor!! Then I finally heard him a few years ago and was blown away by how great the sound was. Here, I don't think he sounds like he did on whatever the few cuts I heard back when, but he still sounds really good. Siepi, who I find has varying impact on me every time I hear him - but he KILLED IT as Figaro live!! -- sounds good to me here; not mooey as he sometimes is and lots of color but still clear and honest...I'd think Bonetan would approve! And in this instance i think he is a shade more vivid than Treigle. Thought this would go the other way but I like Siepi more.
 
#21 ·
You've intrigued me with this question of whistling ability. I can't whistle, at least with fingers. My lip whistling is a weak deafened constricted sound, a pitiful attempt to repeat Daryl Hannah's whistle in Kill Bill. If I met such a challenge at school, it would ruin my doubtful reputation decisively. :LOL:
 
#25 ·
Mefistofele was the third opera I saw live - NYC Opera used to tour to the Kennedy Center each spring back in the day and brought Mefistofele to DC on a couple of visits. I saw a young (and then unknown) Samuel Ramey in the lead role in the Tito Capobianco production - he was riveting in both voice and acting. Very lithe and wore a flesh colored body stocking...

The Kennedy Center was exceptionally strict about seating late arrivals as the production began with the opera house going totally dark with the only light on the tip of Julius Rudel's baton as he struck up the prelude/overture. Horns were stationed in the balconies. It still gives me chills.

I had a colleague in my office who was a serious opera fan and when I told him that I thought Samuel Ramey was really wonderful he smiled and replied "You should have seen Norman Treigle".

I don't know if Ramey did his own whistling or not.