Classical and Jazz: Falstaff continues at the ROH
Mistress Quickly (Marie-Nicole Lemieux) and Falstaff (Ambrogio Maestri)
Published: 24 May, 2012
by MICHAEL MAUNSELL
Falstaff is, as Ian Burton says in his programme article in the current Royal Opera House production, a “vain and silly old buffer straight from the world of Ben Travers farce” who is short of money.
He decides to seduce two Merry Wives of Windsor who control the family purse strings.
He approaches them with identical letters and, as they are friends, they plan revenge.
They lead him on and their plots result in Falstaff being thrown into the river with the dirty laundry and then entice him to the woods at midnight for further treatment.
This production by Robert Carsen of Verdi’s opera concentrates on the humour.
The setting is the 1950s, mainly in the panelled rooms of a hotel and the kitchen of the rich Ford’s house – attractively designed by Paul Steinberg with vibrant costumes of the period by Brigitte Reiffenstuel.
When Falstaff is revealed after hauling himself from the river he is on a pile of hay in the yard of the hotel with a munching horse looking at him contentedly from its comfy loosebox.
The morals of the story, husband’s jealousy and revenge, are treated lightly and there is little characterisation of Falstaff, well sung by Ambrogio Maestri.
Some of the moments in the ladies’ revenge – particularly in the forest (disappointingly treeless) – which can be quite nasty, are taken gently, and Falstaff has an easy time of it.
The ROH orchestra under Daniele Gatti was in grand form and musically it was excellent.
The women hold the key to the piece and Mistresses Ford and Page (Ana Maria Martinez and Kai Rüütel) lead the way. However Mistress Quickly (Marie-Nicole Lemieux), a contralto who acting as their go-between steals a number of scenes, both with her singing and her acting.
l Falstaff continues at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, WC2, on May 25, 28 and 30,
box office 020 7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk.
l BP Summer Big Screens: The May 30 performance will be relayed live in Trafalgar Square, WC2,
at 7.30pm, as part of the World Shakespeare Festival 2012