User Reviews

Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor was turned into the opera Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi (2001). This production was directed by Pierre Cavassilas.

Falstaff was not one of Shakespeare's great plays and not one of Verdi's great operas.

Ambrogio Maestri as Sir John Falstaff does a fine job. In fact, Falstaff is his signature role. Juan Diego Flórez portrays Fenton, a relatively small role. In my opinion, Flórez is the greatest tenor of our time, and it's a pleasure to hear him sing, even in this less-than-great role.

If you're an opera buff, especially a Verdi buff, you need to see this production for the sake of completeness. If opera isn't your thing, pass it up and find Rossini's Cenerentola with Flórez and Di Donato, or any one of the great Verdi operas.

This film has a high IMDb rating of 8.6, but with only 17 raters. I rated it 8.

This is an opera lover's dream: it is a star-studded La Scala production of Falstaff but it is performed in the intimate setting of the Teatro Verdi in Busseto. I don't know what it cost to see this magnificent production but, judging by the fur coats entering the auditorium, it must have been molti denari. Still, at least the occasion was filmed for the benefit of financially embarrassed music lovers.

Ambrosio Maestri is a huge and imposing figure as Falstaff. His costume and make-up make him look rather like Pulcinello, which I suppose is appropriate for this very Italianate production. Maestri has a sonorous baritone which I particularly enjoyed in his sorrowful: "Va, Vecchio John.". I also enjoyed Roberto Frontali's Ford. His "È sogno o realtà?" is reminiscent of Iago in Verdi's earlier Shakespeare adaptation.

This production can even afford the illustrious Juan Diego Flórez in the comparatively minor role of Fenton. His soaring tenor is an unexpected bonus as are his duets with soprano Inva Mula as Nannetta.

I particularly enjoyed the four mistresses: Anna Caterina Antonacci displays a sly sense of humour as Mrs Meg Page and, to my surprise, Barbara Frittoli, as Mrs Alice Ford also displays a talent for comedy. Bernadette Manca di Nissa as Mrs Quickly acts as go-between as these two ladies torment Falstaff.

This opera is essentially an ensemble piece and every part is well cast. Musically, it is the ensembles that are most breathtaking. In the first act there is the quartet for the four mistresses followed by a nonet. The finale is a magnificent fugue for all ten main characters, the last thing that Verdi wrote. What a way to go.

I did enjoy the productions with Bryn Terfel, Renato Bruson and Willard White. But I found this Falstaff the most pleasurable, the most evocative in regards in visuals and staging and the most fun. Falstaff is Verdi's last opera and while not among his best it is an interesting work with a good story and well-crafted music.

The costumes and sets look beautiful and suitably Italianate, and the videography, picture quality and sound are clear and serve the performers and music very well. The orchestra are also excellent, playing with a vibrant sound, and the conducting has authority. Musically, I agree wholeheartedly that the ensembles are the most impressive, especially the fugue between all the principles at the end which on a musical and performing front is wow personified.

When it comes to the performances, this Falstaff is brilliant. Ambrosio Maestri's Falstaff is superbly characterised, the acting is hearty, the voice is sonorous and of the Falstaffs I've seen Maestri meets the physical demands of Falstaff better than Terfel, Bruson and White put together. Roberto Frontali is perfect as Ford, he is quite malevolent but not too blustery.

Juan Diego Florez may have gone on to do better performances in more prominent roles, but Fenton is an interesting role for him and he performs it very nicely with effortless top notes, superb agility and style and a dashing presence on stage. Of the ladies, Anna Caterina Antonacci's sly Meg fares best, though Barbara Fritoli also sparkles as Alice and Bernadette Manca Di Nissa a well sung and acted Mistress Quickly.

Overall, an excellent Falstaff and to me to the one to look out for. 10/10 Bethany Cox