Verdi: Falstaff (Royal Opera House)
The spectacular opening production of London's newly restored Royal Opera House brings a riot of color to Verdi's great Shakespearean masterpiece.
Bryn Terfel as Sir John Falstaff and Barbara Frittoli as Alice Ford lead a star cast with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House under the direction of Bernard Haitink, in a spectacular new production by Graham Vick.
Member Reviews
Glorious exuberant fun. - Plet
This was Verdi’s last opera, a glorious comedy based on Shakespeare and played for laughs with a rapid fire dialogue, so fast in fact the subtitles can’t keep up which is a pity. It was a marriage made in heaven for librettist and composer who overcame a very bad start to their relationship to become fast friends. It is an opera that needs to be seen for maximum pleasure rather than just listened to since it is full of acting jokes. The cast here did an excellent job and I was greatly impressed with Bryn Terfel who filled the role with ample zest wearing a huge rubber costume from ankles to neck. He was as out going here as he was surprisingly restrained as Wotan in the N.Y. Met’s extremely disappointing Das Rheingold.
One ends up loving old Falstaff who only sees his own image and not what he really is and he fills the stage with his colossal ego but also the innocence in really seeing himself as attractive to women and loving his huge belly so that he becomes a sympathetic character at the end.
"Va Vecchio John” “Go Old John” you gave me great pleasure.
Member Reviews
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Glorious exuberant fun. - Plet
This was Verdi’s last opera, a glorious comedy based on Shakespeare and played for laughs with a rapid fire dialogue, so fast in fact the subtitles can’t keep up which is a pity. It was a marriage made in heaven for librettist and composer who overcame a very ...