Italian composer, librettist and poet (February 24th, 1842, Padova - 1918, … Read Full Bio ↴Italian composer, librettist and poet (February 24th, 1842, Padova - 1918, Milan)
Although chiefly remembered for his work as a librettist, essentially for Verdi (he wrote the libretto for his two Shakespearean adaptations: Falstaff and Othello and revised the text for Simon Boccanegra), he also wrote the full libretto and music for one single opera: Mefistofele, now part of the common international repertoire.
Thanks to a composition prize he was awarded as a student, he was able to travel through the rest of Europe and spent two years visiting Poland (where is mother was from), England, Germany and France (where he met Hugo, Berlioz, Rossini and Verdi). He was particularly impressed by the opera works of Richard Wagner and Ludwig Van Beethoven, whose powerful and dramatic presentation he used to reshape traditional elements of Italian opera. The result was Mefistofele, an opera inspired by Goethe's Faust, completed at the age of 24 and released under heavy critique from the religious parties who strongly objected to his modernist approach of the traditional Faust thematic (objected being a rather soft word for the barrage of hiss, fits and other half-expressed wishes to see him burnt alive on public place for his sacrilege).
After much editing and rewriting, Mefistofele was released again a few years later to a somewhat more appreciative audience, but Boito seemed to have lost most of his musical inspiration by then. From thereafter, he focused on writing and produced the librettos for Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda (1875) and Verdi's Othello (1883) and Falstaff (1890).
Having been appointed senator in 1912, he kept working until his death on Nerone, to be his second opus, but only completed the first four acts (the last act was written by Antonio Smareglia and Vincenzo Tommasini) and died in Milan in 1918. His other writings, in the form of correspondence (especially with Verdi) and poetry are still popular items of Italian culture.
Although chiefly remembered for his work as a librettist, essentially for Verdi (he wrote the libretto for his two Shakespearean adaptations: Falstaff and Othello and revised the text for Simon Boccanegra), he also wrote the full libretto and music for one single opera: Mefistofele, now part of the common international repertoire.
Thanks to a composition prize he was awarded as a student, he was able to travel through the rest of Europe and spent two years visiting Poland (where is mother was from), England, Germany and France (where he met Hugo, Berlioz, Rossini and Verdi). He was particularly impressed by the opera works of Richard Wagner and Ludwig Van Beethoven, whose powerful and dramatic presentation he used to reshape traditional elements of Italian opera. The result was Mefistofele, an opera inspired by Goethe's Faust, completed at the age of 24 and released under heavy critique from the religious parties who strongly objected to his modernist approach of the traditional Faust thematic (objected being a rather soft word for the barrage of hiss, fits and other half-expressed wishes to see him burnt alive on public place for his sacrilege).
After much editing and rewriting, Mefistofele was released again a few years later to a somewhat more appreciative audience, but Boito seemed to have lost most of his musical inspiration by then. From thereafter, he focused on writing and produced the librettos for Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda (1875) and Verdi's Othello (1883) and Falstaff (1890).
Having been appointed senator in 1912, he kept working until his death on Nerone, to be his second opus, but only completed the first four acts (the last act was written by Antonio Smareglia and Vincenzo Tommasini) and died in Milan in 1918. His other writings, in the form of correspondence (especially with Verdi) and poetry are still popular items of Italian culture.
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Mefistofele: "Giunto sul passo estremoi"
Arrigo Boito Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
@LordoftheTrapdoors
+anders mberg
At the extreme step of the most extreme age
my soul is already blessed in a final dream
king of a peaceful world, a infinite land,
i want to create a fruitful breed
I want to see thousands and thousands nations
under a wise law
with their houses, bridges and palaces
I want this dream could be my holy poem
the last requirement of my existence
@pavlover1
It hurts me to imagine that someday the world will forget him !! I am ever thankful that I shared the time on earth with him.
@ellenlyons7413
I dont think he will be forgotten, any more than Rembrandt, or Leonardo de Vinci could be forgotten. The best can never be forgotten. There will never be another "Pavarotti".
@ellenlyons7413
He will not be forgotten, how can you forget the absolute best there was and ever will be.........
@TenoreMr
Never so long as I live. Will anyone forget Maestro Luciano Pavarotti. He shall live in infamy.
@ellenlyons7413
I don't think he will be forgotten, hes just too far and above the rest. I sure hope not.
@ellenlyons7413
infamy means being well know for something negative or bad, so infamy is not applicable to pavarotti, @@TenoreMr
@hubertjoseph8688
My word, his voice is so emotive... But what really impresses me is the fact that he actually gets lost in his music. What a brilliant interpretation! I wish I had been blessed enough to live during a time when he still reigned... Alas, I will never know what it's like to see him live. Thank goodness that, because of video and audio recordings, his legacy (as well as many other's) lives on.
@kimmillard9445
There's definitely a Gigli influence in this interpretation which also one of the other most beautiful versions I've ever heard of this aria. Not surprising since LP grew up on the recordings of Gigli in the Pavarotti household where Fernando, the father revered Gigli.
@utoobfan
I'm not really sure about these accusations of him selling out, I just love to watch him on here, elsewhere and will always listen to his music. In this clip alone the emotion in his face is so powerful, he is feeling every note as though life itself depended on it? Not enough times in our lives do we experience true greatness, without doubt Mr Pavarotti posessed it in abundance. Very sadly no longer with us, we should cherish him, never forget him or the beauty he brought to this world
@ellenlyons7413
every other big opera singer sang out of the opera setting, I dont know why anyone could have anything to say in a derogative manner. almost every one who actually sings opera says he is the best voice of all time. he had things that won't be possible anymore. 7 years training, a voice from the stratosphere, huge resonating chambers, technique diction, the sweetness of his voice, to quote a critic, who didnt really like, him yet said, he sang that so sweetly it could melt a stone. (Una.....Furtiva) plus he sang with pop stars to raise money for war children, he did more for them and made more than anyone then or since . plus donated to hospitals, school,s, countless honourable things, plus many singular, on the spot generosity that no one else had, plus witty and intelligent. bigger than life.