The opera was given its premiere on 5 March 1868 at La Scala, Milan, under the baton of the composer, despite his lack of experience and skill as a conductor.

Mefistofele is one of many pieces of classical music based on the Faust legend and, like many other composers, Boito used Goethe's version as his starting point.

The most popular earlier opera based on the legend was Gounod's Faust, which Boito regarded as a superficial and frivolous treatment of a profound subject.

Furthermore, Boito was contemptuous of what he saw as the low operatic standards prevailing in Italy at that time, and he determined to make his new work distinctive, both musically and intellectually, different from anything that had been heard before.

Boito immediately set to work revising his opera, greatly reduced its length by about one-third by making many scenes smaller in scale.

The revised version was premiered in Bologna on 4 October 1875, this time sung by what is generally regarded to be a very fine cast, and was an immediate success.

[3] In 1969, the New York City Opera presented a new production by Tito Capobianco, with Norman Treigle scoring his greatest success in the title role.

[6] As Mefistofele, Ramey made the role a signature one, appearing in many productions in the 1980s and early 1990s, including one given by the San Francisco Opera in 1989[7] and another in November 1994.

[9] The opera was performed as part of the 2013/14 season at the Croatian National Theatre (HNK Split), directed by Michał Znaniecki and conducted by Nikša Bareza.

The concept of this production was created by director Lisenka Heijboer Castañon and conductor Manoj Kamps, in which they invited composers and arrangers to respond to Boito's original work.

His thoughts are disturbed in dramatic fashion by the sudden appearance of the sinister friar, whom he now recognizes as a manifestation of the Devil (Mefistofele).

Far from being terrified, Faust is intrigued and enters into a discussion with Mefistofele culminating in an agreement by which he will give his soul to the devil on his death in return for worldly bliss for the remainder of his life.

She is unable to resist his seductive charms and agrees to drug her mother with a sleeping draught and meet him for a night of passion.

He feels that the end of his life is close, but desperate for his final victory, Mefistofele urges him to embark on more exotic adventures.

San Francisco Opera, Robert Carsen (director) Arthaus[7] Batman Begins depicts the opera being performed onstage, using an excerpt of "Rampiamo, rampiamo, che il tempo ci gabba" (Chorus of Warlocks and Witches from act 2, scene 2) from the 1973 EMI recording (see "Recordings" above).