Organization

Singer

Baritone

Bernd Weikl

Sir John Falstaff

Ivan Konsulov

Carlos Aguirre

Ford

Tenor

Steffen Schantz

Fenton

John Pickering

Doctor Caius

Hans-Jörg Bock

Bardolph

Bass

Alexis Wagner

Pistol

Soprano

Adelheid Fink

Mrs. Alice Ford

Contralto

Yanyu Guo

Mrs. Quickly

Mezzo-soprano

Wioletta Hebrowska

Mrs. Meg Page

Arlette Meißner

Nannette

Conductor

Uwe Sandner

Stage director

Costume designer

Julia Holewik

Set designer

Thomas Dörfler

Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern

Falstaff

Kaiserslautern

Germany

Pfalztheater

"The stout Sir John Falstaff has financial problems. To refill his empty pockets he strives for amorous affairs with Alice and Meg, the wives of the rich citizens Ford and Page. The two ladies might even have consented, had they not received identical love letters. So they decide to play a trick on him. At the same time Alice exposes her husband’s chronic jealousy. In the end, Nannetta, the Fords’ daughter, is allowed to marry for love against her father’s plans.
Finally, a nightly masquerade in Windsor park brings out the moral of the story: „Tutto nel mondo è burla – All the world’s a burlesque“.
Towards the end of his operatic work, Giuseppe Verdi succeeds in a brilliant comedy of characters with philosophical wisdom and sparkling musical wit. The libretto of Arrigo Boito is based upon William Shakespeare’s comedy „The Merry Wives of Windsor“ and scenes from „Henry IV“.
Bernd Weikl’s witty production shows the simultaneity of tragedy and comedy. The opera’s motto „All the world’s a burlesque“ is also reflected in the stage design of Thomas Doerfler and in the costumes of Julia Holewik. Both set and clothes are inspired by Shakespeare’s theatre, the Italian tradition of „Commedia dell’ arte“ and the world of circus."

In this production by Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern, the stout Sir John Falstaff has financial problems, which he attempts to solve by having affairs with Alice Ford and Meg Page, two very wealthy, very married women. Having received identical love letters, the two women decide to have some fun at Falstaff’s expense.

Falstaff Verdi

Approved

Photos