The Kennedy Center - Opera House (Washington, DC)
The antics of Shakespeare's infamous rascal Falstaff cause utter mayhem as the merry wives of Windsor teach him a lesson he'll never forget. Falstaff is a delightful fusion of humanist realism and light-hearted fantasy - and the perfect testament to the multi-faceted genius of Verdi.
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The last date listed for Falstaff was Tuesday October 27, 2009 / 7:30pm. (view all dates)
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Very mixed feelings about this performance, unfortunately more negative than positive. On the negative side, anyone familiar with opera who likes the big, beautiful Verdi arias and music will be disappointed here. I did not do the homework on this opera, and so although I expected the type of grand opera music as in La Traviata, Rigoletto, etc., I didn't hear it. The production is more operetta and slapstick than opera, and with no memorable melodies or outstanding performances. Also, although the seats were center orchestra Row Y and I thought they were great, it turned out the acoustics were such that the orchestra many times drowned out the singers and it was difficult to hear the singers without the orchestra interfering. Perhaps if we had sat closer, it would have been a more satisfying experience. On the positive side, there were quite a few laughs for Falstaff as the buffoon, so the evening was not a total loss as the humor made it enjoyable, although not as an opera experience. As another reviewer wrote, the second half is definitely better than the first, and the night scene finale was visually stunning. But overall, again, for those who like opera, it will be a disappointment. I think the audience reflected this with the tepid applause at the end, with no one standing, and no curtain calls, although as a night of entertainment, I could see people had a fun night there.
The music was very good, but the performers had weak voices and struggled to be heard. I thought the staging was gimmicky and distracting, but most other people seemed to like it.
This opera is frenetic. The second half is definitely better than the first. The finale is great. The singers were adequate. The costumes were OK. The music is not the usual lush Verdi. The conductor was wonderful, but the music was sometimes too loud for the singers to be heard above the orchestra. I'm glad this wasn't my first opera experience, else I would be turned off the whole genre.
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The Opera House is the second-largest theater in the Center, with 2,300 seats. It was designed for ballet, opera, and musical theater. Over the years, the Opera House has welcomed dozens of the world's great dance and opera companies and has hosted some of the most important artistic events of the last quarter century. With its distinctive red and gold silk curtain, a gift from Japan, and the e
Website: http://www.dc-opera.org/performances/falstaff.asp
What happens when an old knight who fancies himself a ladies' man sends identical love letters to two married women? Plenty, as Sir John Falstaff (Alan Opie), Shakespeare's drunken, but much loved rascal, discovers when the merry wives of Windsor (and a few furious husbands) decide to teach him a lesson. Verdi's last opera shows the master at the peak of his power and displays some of his most inventive melodies. This stunning production is directed by Christian Räth and conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing in his WNO debut.
Making his WNO debut, baritone Alan Opie was nominated for the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Falstaff and hailed as “…one of the true great Verdi baritones of our generation.” –BBC Music
This intriguing production is directed by Christian Räth and conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing.
Under the stewardship of General Director Placido Domingo, Washington National Opera continues to move confidently forward on a great adventure that began when the company was founded in 1956. Five decades and countless artistic leaps later, the Opera has achieved the stature of a world class company and plays to standing-room-only audiences at the Kennedy Center Opera House. The company recently received the designation "The National Opera" by the Congress of the United States of America.