This enables you to follow the action of the opera in detail, regradless of the language in which it is performed. Let me try to clarify and explain and to offer some advice. The falstaff opera prepares students for the world of professional opera. From oldschool legends to todays great stars, experience more than 700 fulllength met performances with our online streaming service. Its another one of boito pictured and verdis collaborations, adapted from the merry wives of windsor and scenes from henry iv.
I had never really enjoyed falstaff, without knowing why, until seeing this production. Fulllength operas on youtube stream your favorite operas. Verdi and his librettist, boito, kept the composition secret since verdi was somewhat less comfortable with comic opera, and he wanted to have the option of canceling the production even after the dress rehearsal. The opera does gain much, however, from a careful, specific reading, and a long essay on the genesis of the opera also offers illuminating context this author put out the best introduction to the ring i know in the same format. Libretti this is an index of libretto pages in the internet known to me. Falstaff live in hd dvd met opera dvds met opera shop.
Free apps available for amazon fire tv and tablet, ipad, iphone, apple tv, android, roku, and samsung smart tv. The joke in falstaff is ironic, heavy and shrouded in the melancholy of the elderly verdi. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. Were converted, weve reverted bardolph, pistol, falstaff artist andrew shore. Ambrogio maestri is an ideal falstaff, leading an ensemble cast of veteran and upandcoming met stars, including angela meade alice, stephanie blythe mistress quickly, franco vasallo ford, and jennifer johnson cano meg. The licence mentioned above the download button is just an indication. Vocally, standards are uniformly good rather than remarkable, but then falstaff is an ensemble opera rather than a.
Verdi and his librettist, boito, kept the composition secret since verdi was somewhat less comfortable with comic opera, and he wanted to have the option of canceling the productioneven after the dress rehearsal. Falstaff, verdi classical music inspired by shakespeare. The scene of the cloying dame quickly christa ludwig, as she lures falstaff to his tryst with alice andor meg, is one of the most hilarious scenes in all comic opera. Falstaff radio broadcast and live in hd transmission of saturday, december 14, 12. The dallas opera presents an opera in brief for falstaff. In some cases also texts of other vocal pieces similar to operas are included. The fonts presented on this website are their authors property, and are either freeware, shareware, demo versions or public domain. I saw this falstaff for jose van dam, who i have always admired, and while it is my least favourite so far of the falstaffs ive seen2001, 1976, 1993, 1982, 2003, 1999 it is. Falstaff moves from comic intrigue, as the merry wives.
Get a behindthescenes look at the canadian opera companys gorgeous and hilarious 2014 production of verdis comic masterpiece, with rehearsal footage. Robert carsens production is set in 1950s england and draws out the warmth, love of food and comedy at the heart of the opera. The german star baritone thomas johannes mayer, who is known chiefly for his major wagner roles, makes. Verdis last opera, falstaff, was his first comic opera in over 50 years. Issued in connection with the his masters voice long play 33 r. His most recent venture is a staging of verdis comic opera falstaff, which bieito reinterprets as an apocalyptic satire on entertainment and prototype scenario of modern society. Youd be forgiven for thinking verdi was a rather miserable soul. Falstaff agrees with pleasure and reveals that he already has a rendezvous arranged with alice for two oclock the hour when ford is always absent from home. Met opera on demand delivers instant access to more than 500 met performances, including live in hd videos, classic telecasts and radio broadcasts. Bieitos take on falstaff is a black comedy that exposes the tragicomic aspect of human existence he casts the eponymous hero of the piece as a charismatic and perverse pleasureseeker, a melancholy and. The libretto was adapted by arrigo boito from shakespeares the merry wives of windsor and scenes from henry iv, parts 1 and 2. The flirtatious scene between mistress alice and sir john falstaff is so cleverly done, it is almost naughty.
Here are a few fulllength operas on youtube with english subtitles. Sir john falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by william shakespeare and is eulogized in a fourth. Vocally, standards are uniformly good rather than remarkable, but then falstaff is an ensemble opera. The beggars opera 1948 english libretto billy budd 1953 english libretto spanish translation the turn of the screw 1954 english libretto spanish translation. Sir john falstaff shows himself unimpressed by the accusations and sends him off without a responsebut not without taking bardolfo and pistola to task for their sloppily executed theft. Falstaff is an opera i am familiar with and like very much. Somehow that standard portrayal has been just a little hard for me to buy. Iit includes complete productions of standard, contemporary and baroque opera a. Music director james levine conducts robert carsens hit staging of verdis great human comedy.
Download the new ipad app to watch on your tv with apple tv via airplay. Falstaff is a braggart, a bully, a lecherous womanizer and a man who values the happiness of his own stomach above all else. Live in hd series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, the neub. As you may know opera on video links to videos hosted elsewhere such as youtube, vimeo, ok and others. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays henry iv, part 1 and part 2, where he is a companion to prince hal, the future king henry v of england. Bryn terfel as sir john falstaff and barbara frittoli as alice ford lead a star cast with the orchestra and chorus of the royal opera house under the direction of bernard haitink, in a spectacular new production by graham vick. Falstaff 1893 the 79year old verdi was persuaded out of retirement by the librettist boito to compose his 28th and final opera, based on the merry wives of windsor and scenes from henry iv, parts 1 and 2. Get a behindthescenes look at the canadian opera companys gorgeous and hilarious 2014 production of verdis comic masterpiece, with rehearsal footage and interviews with coc music director. Jul 12, 2018 falstaff is a braggart, a bully, a lecherous womanizer and a man who values the happiness of his own stomach above all else. The revived robert carsen production of verdis final opera lacks a certain class, and would be a dull evening without ambrogio maestri in the title role. I realized it was because falstaff is usually played as a buffoon, and as someone who even considers himself a buffoon. In it the vain old knight attempts to seduce two married women for purely mercenary reasons.
Dear friends of opera on video, we have got many questions from you about videos which you cannot play properly in your browser. A linebyline libretto links each phrase of the original text with an english singing version. Falstaff, royal opera house, london music the guardian. Falstaff is puzzled at the request, and fontana explains that if alice succumbs to falstaff, it will then be easier for fontana to overcome her virtuous scruples. Falstaff, ossia le tre burle falstaff, or the three jokes is a dramma giocoso in two acts by antonio salieri, set to a libretto by carlo prospero defranceschi after william shakespeares the merry wives of windsor. Watch a trailer for verdis final masterpiece, featuring ambrogio maestri in the title role, ailyn perez as alice ford, and golda schultz as nannetta. The plot centres on his attempts to have his lusty way with two married. C major approaches the end of its tutto verdi project with a production of verdis falstaff. Verdi falstaff ambrogio maestri, falstaff roberto frontali, ford juan diego florez, fenton ernesto gavazzi, doctor cajus paolo barbacini, bardolfo luigi roni, pistola barbara frittoli, alice ford.
Mar 16, 2007 verdis falstaff world of opera presents verdis falstaff, a brilliantly original and insightful comedy written when the composer was nearly 80 years old. Apr 18, 20 the falstaff opera prepares students for the world of professional opera. I think comedy is better when a character doesnt know hes in one. The last ace from his sleeve verdi takes out in the last number of the last opera the fugue tutto nel mondo e burla, remaining verdis testament to the whole of operatic world. Isnt it amazing that you can watch fulllength operas for free in the comfort of your own home. It is not one of my favourite verdis, but the music and comedy sparkle and the story is a lot of fun.