Falstaff

Falstaff is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with libretto by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare’s plays, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV. It was Verdi’s last opera, written at an advanced age, and is noted for its concluding fugue, “Tutto nel mondo e burla” (“All the world’s a joke”). This made for television production was performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden by the Royal Opera, directed by Sir John Tooley and featuring the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini and the Royal Opera Chorus led by Chorus master John McCarthy. Renato Bruson is brilliant in the role of Sir John Falstaff as are the rest of the leading singers including Dalmacio Gonzalez (Fenton), Brenda Boozer (Meg Page), Barbara Hendricks (Nanetta), Lucia Valentini-Terrani (Mistress Quickly), Leo Nucci (Ford) and Katia Ricciarelli (Alice Ford). Realistic stage sets by Hayden Griffin and period costumes by Michael Stennett, along with the wonderful atmosphere of the Royal Opera House, set the mood of the time. Sung in Italian with no English subtitles. Includes booklet with English translation.