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Falstaff was Verdi’s last opera as well as his first ever comedy. In collabo-ration with librettist Arrigo Boito the old master succeeded in giving Shakespeare’s burlesque creation, the big and boastful knight from The Merry Wives of Windsorand Henry IV great human depth. To convey the story of the corrupt old lech who once more goes out a courting, Verdi composed music which is alive with youthful freshness yet at the same time betrays extraordinary maturity and compositional mastery. The production which is staged by the Dutch National Opera was a great success at London’s Covent Garden and at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Baritone Ambrogio Maestri stars in the lead role.

credits

music Giuseppe Verdi libretto Arrigo Boito musical direction Daniele Gatti direction Robert Carsen set design Paul Steinberg costumes Brigitte Reiffenstuel light design Robert Carsen, Peter van Praet cast Ambrogio Maestri (Sir John Falstaff), Fabio Capitanucci (Ford), Paolo Fanale (Fenton), Carlo Bosi (Dottore Cajus), Patrizio Saudelli (Bardolfo), Christian Van Horn (Pistola), Fiorenza Cedolins (Mrs. Alice Ford), Maria Grazia Schiavo (Nannetta), Daniela Barcellona (Mrs. Quickly), Maite Beaumont (Mrs. Meg Page) orchestra Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra choir Chorus of Dutch National Opera rehearsal leader Bruno Casoni production Dutch National Opera coproduction Dutch National Opera, ROH Covent Garden London, Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Metropolitan Opera New York, Canadian Opera Company Toronto

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