Falstaff

Synopsis

Verdi's last masterpiece receives a lavish new production under director Robert Carsen, as the portly knight of Shakespeare's comedy takes to the stage, larger than life. Falstaff has not been seen at Covent Garden for a decade, and it returns in considerable style.

The new staging – a co-production with La Scala, Milan, and the Canadian Opera Company – sees the long-awaited return of Daniele Gatti to the conductor's podium of the Royal Opera House.

Verdi described Falstaff as 'a rogue who gets up to all kinds of mischief… but in an amusing way'. It's one of the great baritone roles of all opera, and in this fine cast it will be sung by Ambrogio Maestri, one of its leading exponents – indeed, one of the best Verdi baritones to be heard today.

There is the fast-paced wit of the action, with its jealousy, intrigue, confusion and comic chaos all set to music of the most consummate invention. With a bravura ending in praise of laughter itself, Falstaff is a wonderful way to experience all the colour and character of opera at its most entertaining and rewarding. It's a great knight out!

Falstaff is part of the World Shakespeare Festival, which is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for London

Our Review:

Keith McDonnell - 15 May 2012

Falstaff is in a way a summation of everything that Verdi had been striving for during his long and illustrious career as Italy’s leading 19th century composer. It is a masterpiece, not only dramatically, but text (Boito) and music are so indelibly linked – unlike any Italian opera that went before, that one might be tempted to describe Falstaff as the ultimate gesamtkuntswerk. Perish the thought, some might say, but when one thinks of Verdi, achingly beautiful melodies spring to mind combined with rock solid dramaturgy, so the quicksilver wit, ensemble writing and audacity in this opera can come as a bit of a shock to the system.

When given a superlative performance, as it is here, Verdi’s final opera never fails to lighten the spirit and The Royal Opera has pulled out all the stops for this new staging by Robert Carsen, wittily designed by Paul Steinberg (sets) and Brigitte Reiffenstuel (costumes). Updated to the late 1950s, and with the focus on...

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Latest User Review

Justin Chapman - 20 May 2012:

Totally agree - I'm not sure why the dailies were so, well 'meh' about it. Brilliant fun from start to finish and I quite liked the horse......

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