MEFISTOFELE

By Arrigo Boito

VIDEO: Video production starring Samuel Ramey and Gabriela Benackova at San Francisco Opera; Maurizio Arena conducts; 1989; HOM MEF 010

AUDIO: A) STANDING ROOM ONLY (SRO): Nicolai Ghiaurov, Renata Tebaldi, Carlo Bergonzi; Gardelli conducting

B) DECCA/LONDON: Nicolai Ghiaurov, Mirella Freni, Monserrat Caballe, Luciano Pavarotti, De Fabritiis conducting; well-recorded effort, but Ghiaurov is not in quite such good voice here as in AUDIO A; De Fabritiis' conducting is haunting, a worthy memorial; stereo [G.R.]