When Sir John Falstaff decides that he wants to have a little fun he writes two letters to a pair of Window wives: Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. When they put their heads together and ...
Director: Götz Friedrich
Georg Solti ... conductor
Stars: Karan Armstrong, Gabriel Bacquier, Ulrik Cold.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0276124/
Premiered on 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan. Verdi's last opera.
Time: The reign of Henry IV, 1399 to 1413
Place: Windsor, England
This is a film, not a captured stage performance. I prefer this, although the lip-sync can be flawed, and sometimes is here. But we get the benefit of cinematic choices, and no audience or flawed mic placement.
This was filmed in a studio, and everything was brightly lit, including "midnight" in the woods. Although these are not wealthy people, this sets and costumes are pleasing.
Having music lightened the mood considerably, and halving the number of characters (per the Wikipedia article) makes this far more enjoyable than the play (discussed in the immediately prior post).
It's a shame that Verdi generated no other comedies; his only other effort is not in the standard repertoire, and suffers from his personal losses while composing it 50 years earlier than this.
I'll be curious why Greenberg lavishes so many lectures on this opera. I'm glad to have it in my collection, but I doubt that I'll want additional performances.
Rated 8.0 (15)
Unitel, cond. Solti; 7+
