Arrigo Boito was a distinguished Italian composer and librettist. Boito was a librettist for Verdi's operas Simon Boccanegra, Otello and Falstaff. Boito also wrote the libretto for Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda. Boito's wrote both music and words for his only opera, Mefistofele, inspired by Goethe's Faust that had a huge success all over Europe. The arias from Mefistofele have become popular recital repertoire.