Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff
An Italian Opera in Three Acts by Verdi, His Last Opera
Giuseppe Verdi's opera Falstaff is a lyric comedy opera in three acts. It is Verdi's final opera since he was almost 80 years old that time. Interestingly, it was also his comic opera after his first, Un giorno di regno, more than 50 years ago.
Facts About Opera Falstaff
- Composer: Giuseppe Verdi (October 9, 1813 – January 27, 1901).
- Libretto: Arrigo Boito. Based on Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Henry IV."
- Language: Italian.
- First Performance: Milan, Teatro alla Scala, February 9, 1893.
- Setting: Windsor in the 15th century.
In Falstaff, Verdi's orchestration and ensembles showed fine humor. Some Italian composers, including Rossini, thought that Verdi was too "serious" to write opera buffa. Falstaff proved them wrong. It was overwhelmingly accepted, to the excitement of the composer himself.
Main Characters in Falstaff
- Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy local (baritone)
- Fenton, a young gentleman (tenor)
- Ford (baritone)
- Alice Ford, Ford's wife (soprano)
- Nannetta, Ford's daughter (soprano)
- Mistress Quickly, the innkeeper (mezzo soprano)
- Dr. Caius, the local physician (tenor)
- Bardolfo, Falstaff's henchman (tenor)
- Pistola, Falstaff's henchman (bass)
- Meg Page, Alice Ford's friend (mezzo)
Plot Summary (Synopsis) of Falstaff
Act 1
Dr. Caius accuses Falstaff's men, Bardolfo and Pistola, of stealing his money.
Falstaff also wants money for wine. His solution: he has fallen for two Windsor wives, Alice Ford and Meg page, and has love letters for each.
Meg receive identical letters from Falstaff and, with Mistress Quickly, they decide to teach Falstaff a lesson.
Ford also prepares to teach Falstaff a lesson after learning of his plan to seduce his wife Alice.
Meantime, Nannetta and Fenton are having a lover's rendezvous.
Act 2
Mistress Quickly tells Falstaff that Alice will receive him that afternoon.
Ford arrives disguised as "Fontana," complaining that his love for Alice ford is not returned. He offers Falstaff money to seduce her, so he can follow. Falstaff agrees.
Falstaff declares his love for Alice.
When Meg Page is announced, Falstaff hides behind a screen.
Ford and the others rush in, empty a laundry basket and search the house.
Alice moves Falstaff to the laundry basket, but sounds of kissing behind the screen convince Ford that Falstaff has been found.
It is Fenton and his daughter Nannetta.
Amid the commotion, Alice has her servants tip the laundry basket and Falstaff.
Act 3
Falstaff is drinking wine with Mistress Quickly. She tells him to meet Alice at midnight in Windsor Park, but he must dress as the "Black Huntsman."
The others take note that the huntsman's ghost sometimes appears, with long horns and accompanied by fairies.
Alice tells Nannetta to come as a bride.
Ford orders Dr Caius to wear a friar's hood and be ready to marry Nannetta. Fenton is dreaming of love when Alice gives him a friar's hood.
At midnight, Falstaff arrives and tries to embrace Alice but, hearing "witches" approach, he throws himself on the ground.
The plotters are disguised as fairies and witches, everyone tormenting him until he repents.
When it is time for Dr Caius to marry Nannetta, another masked couple joins them.
Ford performs the wedding of the couple he thinks is Dr. Caius and Nannetta, along with another couple.
The second couple is actually the real Nannetta and Fenton.
When the ceremony is over, Dr. Caius has wed Bardolfo (disguised as 'Nannetta').
Bardolfo's disguise comes off, giving away the joke.
The whole charade is revealed.
Everyone is joyous.
Sources:
Opera by Alan Riding and L.D. Downer, DK, 2006
The Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin, 1997
Verdi's Falstaff
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