Verdi's Falstaff
Mario Martone (stage director), Daniel Barenboim (conductor) — With Michael Volle (Sir John Falstaff), Barbara Frittoli (Mrs. Alice Ford), Nadine Sierra (Nannetta) …
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Cast
Mario Martone — Stage director
Margherita Palli — Scenography
Ursula Patzak — Costume designer
Pasquale Mari — Lighting
Michael Volle — Baritone (Sir John Falstaff)
Alfredo Daza — Baritone (Ford)
Francesco Demuro — Tenor (Fenton)
Jürgen Sacher — Tenor (Dr. Cajus)
Stephan Rügamer — Tenor (Bardolfo)
Jan Martiník — Bass (Pistola)
Barbara Frittoli — Soprano (Mrs. Alice Ford)
Nadine Sierra — Soprano (Nannetta)
Daniela Barcellona — Mezzo-soprano (Mrs. Quickly)
Katharina Kammerloher — Mezzo-soprano (Mrs. Meg Page)
Sächsischer Staatsopernchor
Martin Wright — Chorus director
Program notes
Come discover Falstaff, one of Verdi's greatest comic opera masterpieces, at the Berlin State Opera—and get swept away by an adventurous story that combines plot twists, misunderstandings, and mise-en-abyme! Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff follows the deeds and misdeeds of Sir John Falstaff, a sly and charming man whose arrival creates a stir in the rich Ford family…
Stage director Mario Mortone restages the action in the contemporary era, reflecting how many social divisions have remained in place through the centuries: on one side, the punk world of leather-jacketed squatters; on the other, the apparently sophisticated milieu of the nouveau riche Fords. Mortone’s production relies on an exquisite vocal cast: Michael Volle in the title role, played with disarming ease; Barbara Frittoli, whose presence and tone perfectly embody Alice Ford; and the magnificent Nadine Sierra in the role of Nannetta. On top of that, none other than maestro Daniel Barenboim conducts a Staatskapelle Berlin in top form, heightening the drama of every note in the score…
