Verdi's last two operas, performed during his centennial year of 2001, both feature libretti by Boito based on Shakespearean plays. Falstaff, conceived for the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, features a vocally solid cast, lively performances…and an ugly set that looks like the inside of an old barn (and, though set “in the original time of Henry IV,” sports costumes that look more at home in the 19th century). But these quibbles matter little, since the story, drawn from The Merry Wives of Windsor, is timeless. After the portly Sir John Falstaff hatches a plot to get money from wealthy matrons he believes are woo-able--writing identical amorous letters to both--the women decide to trick him into a false tryst, while a seemingly “cuckolded” husband plots his own revenge, ultimately leading to a comic comeuppance. With its blend of malice and mirth, spite and spirit, Falstaff serves up an appealing tale in this age of irony, but the score is said to be appreciated in the main by the connoisseur (perhaps because melody follows melody with so little repetition, leading some to suppose there are no tunes at all). Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and stereo sound, Falstaff boasts strong performances, ably supported by the Orchestre de Paris under the baton of Enrique Mazzola, and while Willard White's commanding and elegant presence in the role of Sir John Falstaff may not qualify him as a buffoon, he's a pleasure to watch, as are the vocally pure and saucy feminine turns, including Geraldine McGreevy as Alice Ford and Charlotte Hellekant as Meg Page. Recommended. Aud: C, P. .Otello is considered by many to be the greatest opera of the Romantic age: the victorious Otello, back from the war and blissfully reunited with his beloved Desdemona, is duped by the treacherous Iago, who plants evidence suggesting she has been unfaithful, setting up the dramatic murder/suicide finale. All of this is accomplished in the grand manner of Italian opera, with storm sequences, victory choruses, drinking songs, love duets, and the obligatory mad scene. Christian Franz as Otello, Emily Magee as Desdemona, and Valeri Alexjev as Iago are solidly backed by the Berliner Staatsoper Unter den Linden, with Daniel Barenboim conducting, in a production that places orchestra, principals, and chorus on an equal footing. While live-performance lighting dims the atmosphere somewhat, this is still a very satisfying production, presented here in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo sound. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)
Falstaff; Otello
(2001) 125 min. In Italian w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.99. Arthaus Musik (dist. by Naxos of America). Color cover. Volume 18, Issue 4
Falstaff; Otello
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