Falstaff by Verdi, Fri 12 May 2017, From (2017/2017), Directed by Stephanie Havey, Conductor Maria Sensi Sellner, Charity Randall Theatre, Pittsburgh, United States

Resonance Works brought its fourth season to a rousing conclusion with the wit and genius of Verdi’s Falstaff! Written at the age of 80, Verdi’s final opus sparkles with freshness and originality. The story follows the travails Shakespeare’s Sir John Falstaff, a portly, aging knight who has come upon hard times. Ever the optimist, endeavors to improve his stature by seducing married women away from their husbands (which doesn't turn out quite as he'd imagined…) Mistaken identities, thwarted assignations, hapless misadventures, fairies, disguises, and a wedding -- these all combine to form a delightful comic farce that is a tour de force for a stellar ensemble cast. Directed by Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumna Stephanie Havey, the tight-knit cast features professional opera talent from Pittsburgh and across the country. Baritone Benjamin Bloomfield (Castleton Festival, NY City Opera) makes his Pittsburgh debut with the title role of Sir John Falstaff. Benjamin Robinson (Michigan Opera Theater, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh) and Matthew Scollin (Pittsburgh Opera, Glimmerglass Festival) portray his cronies Bardolfo and Pistola. In the roles of the merry wives, local favorites Kara Cornell (Trouble in Tahiti) and Amelia D’Arcy (Macbeth) play Meg Page and Alice Ford, with returning mezzo Brooke Larimer (Song of the Earth, Macbeth) in the mischievous role of Mistress Quickly. Newcomer Natalie Polito (Opera Saratoga, Virginia Opera) and Resonance Works veteran Christopher Lucier (Elixir of Love, Macbeth) will sing the pair of young lovers, Nannetta and Fenton, with baritone Joshua Jeremiah (Arizona Opera, PROTOTYPE Festival) making his Pittsburgh debut as the jealous husband, schemer, and disapproving father, Ford. Former Pittsburgher and founding Resonance Works board member Joseph Gaines returns to reprise the role of Dr. Caius, which he previously performed at Pittsburgh Opera and covered at the Metropolitan Opera under the baton of James Levine.