Padua, Feb

24, 1842. Son of an Italian painter and a Polish mother, brother of an arclutect and critic; studied at Milan Cons, under Mazzucato with so httle succe at first that he narrowly escaped dismi al: composed with Faccio very succe ful cantata, of which the score is lost; apparently for lack of initiative self-confidence B. gave up music for critical and literary work in Paris and Milan until 1868 when the managers of La Scala offered to produce his Mefistofele. The work was hastily completed and its production was the occasion of an almost riotous demonstration; the work is undoubtedly original and has moments of tremendous force; it differs from Gounod’s Faust in that it includes both parts of Goethe’s poem, and its great length is not justified by intensity of sustained interest or by technical mastery of effects. In a revised form the opera had considerable succe at Bologna and Milan in 1875. It is said that Boito has completed two other operas, Nerone and Orestiade neither of which has ever been performed; 47 BOKAWTTZ the greatest admiration is expre ed by those who have heard portions of the works, but their characteristics are wrapped in a curious mystery. B., under anagram Tobia Gorno, has published chrism 2 poems and has written -i \ i!» e librettos notably those of Verdi’s Othello and Falstaff.