Falstaff was rather unknown to me under its opera appearance. I am more familiar with the Shakespearian character, and I did not even take time to listen to a record of Verdi's Falstaff because I had more serious things to think about before setting off to Monaco. I got hold of a rather cheap ticket and was thrilled at the prospect of actually managing to see and hear Bryn Terfel.
All I can say is that the whole performance was fun and utterly moving! Laughter and tears! Which is what both poet and musician aimed at.
Verdi's last opera does sound different, with more trumpets than ever, and true arias where Sir John unveils his soul, being immensely witty and sad.
I have to say that Bryn is colossal in this role, partly because of his generous physical size and mainly because of his huge dark voice, which can be so clear and light at times.
I could see his face and rolling eyes, and did not waste one second of the show, being very near the stage. Salle Garnier in Monte carlo is a pocket jewel sort of house, and all voices sounded beautifully, the orchestra was sometimes so hilarious, echoing the huge laughs of Sir John. The cast is seen through a poultry yard and this is fun. Sir John is the old rooster, the girls, the hens and so on ! The animal-like transposition of the characters of the play gave more fun to the cast with funny gestures with tails and feathers, making us giggle, always stopping on the verge of vulgarity. Of course Bryn was the center of this setting, and made a terrific show when Alice and Mrs Quickly buried him in a huge linen basket. He was moving to tears at the end, when standing at the foreground to deliver his sour conclusion on his life of action and seduction.
A sad outlook on getting old, which can be shared by all, even not being a Falstaff type! Verdi's music is here very sad indeed when it is meant to be funny. The costumes were terrific and magic, above all the last scene with the young dancers in black and white phosphorescent costumes holding halloween pumpkins, and Falstaff with his reindeer horns was pitiful and really hilarious. The vocal and musical aspects of the play were tremendous, all the singers were really involved in this very powerful musical riddle under maestro Ganluigi Gelmetti. Both baritones, Bryn Terfel in the old cock being fooled by Alice Ford and the young arrogant cock, Ford-Fabio Capitunacci were excellent in their parts. J.L Grinda added to the setting another clever hint to literature and the mythical side of the central character Falstaff, with the huge books being the sides or central background to the stage: I enjoyed the one with the enumeration of all types of English names for beer, when Falstaff was having his comforting drinks. And I am sure Bryn being British enjoyed that aspect of the setting!
At the curtain fall, Bryn pushed his young page forward so that we could give him some applause and he offered him an egg... Easter egg??
Bryn Terfel: Falstaff, Fabio Capitanucci:Ford, Florian Laconi:Fenton, Valérie Condoluci:Nanneta, Mariana Pentcheva: Mrs Quickly,Alice Ford:Aga Mikolaj. Annunziata Vestri:Mrs Meg page Jean-Louis Grinda (mise en scène),designer:Jorge Jara . Choeurs de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Orchestre philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Gianluigi Gelmetti (direction). Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Salle Garnier (Monaco).
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