The cast featured Irish soprano Margaret Burke Sheridan as Candida, baritone Mariano Stabile as her lover Baldo, and tenor Francesco Merli as the titular Belfagor, an arcidiavolo (Archdemon) who tries to marry a human maiden while in disguise as a nobleman, using gifts of money to her father.

[4] Belfagor is scored for the following instruments:[6] piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, E-flat clarinet, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, double bassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass tuba, timpani, triangle, ratchet, drum, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam, xylophone, handbells, bells, celesta, harp, strings.

Mirocleto and his wife, Olimpia, attracted by the money, consent to give Candida to Ipsilonne, but the girl is in despair, since she is in love with the sailor Baldo.

Belfagor makes the doubt creep in Baldo, letting him believe that Candida lost her virginity with Ipsilonne, who this way achieved his aim of having fun with a young maiden before disappearing.

Candida: Sylvia Sass Baldo: Giorgio Lamberti Belfagor: Lajos Miller Mirocleto: László Polgár Olimpia: Klára Takács Fidelia: Magda Kalmár Maddalena: Mária Zempléni