English - Synopsis «Falstaff»

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Falstaff

15.3.2011

FALSTAFF Giuseppe Verdi

opernhaus z端rich Spielzeit 2010/11

PH_Falstaff_Umschlag.qxp:PH_Falstaff

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Act One Scene One The scene opens at the Garter Inn, Windsor, where portly knight Sir John Falstaff is a perennial guest. He is virtually penniless again; but, as usual, he has a scheme to solve his present poverty. This time it is the peculiar attraction which he is convinced his corpulent charms have for women that should steer him out of his financial straits: love affairs with Alice Ford and Meg Page, the beautiful wives of two of Windsor’s most affluent citizens, should fill his pockets once more.

To this end, Falstaff has written letters to both ladies, which he now asks his companions Bardolfo and Pistola to deliver. But just as he is about to seal the two missives, Dr. Caius storms in and accuses Bardolfo and Pistola of having robbed himafter a drinking session. Falstaff is less than impressed at the accusation; and when his companions deny the allegation, Dr. Caius is promptly dismissed. Falstaff does become angry, however, when his companions refuse to deliver his letters, claiming with bold indignation that such a task would besmirch their honour. Falstaff, having left themin no uncertain terms aboutwhat “honour”means to him, chases them off the premises, and entrusts the letters to a page instead.

Scene Two At the Ford residence, Alice Ford and her friendMeg Page are outraged to discover that the love letters they have each received are written by the same hand, and are even identically phrased.

They vow revenge on this audacious suitor who has not even bothered to adapt his text from one letter to the other.

Mistress Quickly, their neighbour, is dispatched to Falstaff with the message that he should proceed to Alice’s home. Alice has a further motive here: she wants to teach her jealous and mistrusting husband a lesson. Nannetta, her daughter, hopes to benefit, too. She is in love with Fenton, whom she wishes to marry; but Mr. Ford is intent on betrothing her to the boring Dr. Caius.

Bardolfo and Pistola reveal Falstaff’s plans to Ford. Incensed, Ford consults with Dr. Caius and even with his despised Fenton on how to deal with this outrageous knight. Ford plans his first step: seek out Falstaff in disguise and eavesdrop on his activities.

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Act Two Scene One Back at theGarter Inn, Bardolfo and Pistola have returned to Falstaff, seemingly penitent for their earlier mutiny. They tell him that a woman needs to speak to him urgently: it is Mistress Quickly, who passes on Alice’s invitation. With skill, aplomb and shameless flattery, she takes Falstaff in: his letter, she tells him, has caused such excitement among Alice andMeg that Alice urges himto visit her at once. Left alone, Falstaff falls to preening himself. Bardolfo arrives to announce a further visitor, a Signor Fontana. It is Ford, who has adopted a different name to get to know his rival in person. Ford claims to be an admirer of Alice’s who cannot pluck up the courage to approach her. Could he, Falstaff, being so experienced in the ways of love, conquer this aloof beauty and make her more amenable to further seduction? With the additional incentive of a bag of gold, Falstaff does not hesitate long. He promises to help the stranger, and confides in him that he already has an assignation with the lady in question. Falstaff goes to his room to dress for his tryst. Ford, now convinced of his wife’s unfaithfulness, seethes with jealousy. Falstaff returns in his wooing attire; and, after exchanging the falsest of pleasantries, the two men accompany each other to the door.

Scene Two At the Ford residence, Mistress Quickly tells Alice and Meg that her mission to Falstaff has been a success. The women gleefully make all the preparations for their trap. Alice is so busy doing so that she hardly has time to comfort her daughter, who is relating tearfully once again that her father is forcing her to marry the idiotic Dr. Caius. Falstaff is announced, and Alice receives him.

Just as everything seems to be going according to the portly knight’s plan, the first planned disruption occurs when Mistress Quickly announces thatMeg is approaching. Falstaff scurries behind a screen. The game suddenly becomes serious, however, when Meg’s pre-rehearsed warning that Ford is heading for the house in a murderous rage turns out to be all too true. Ford, racked with jealousy and followed by a horde of armed neighbours, storms in. Unable to find Falstaff at once, he orders a search of the entire house and blazes out of the room. In the confusion, Alice and Meg bundle the hapless Falstaff into a laundry basket. With all the other distractions, Nannetta and Fenton have also found each other and take their turn to hide behind the screen.

Ford, still seething at his failure to find Falstaff, discovers them there in a passionate embrace, and now directs his fury at the young lovers.

Fenton is chased out of the house; and Alice takes advantage of the moment to tip the laundry basket and all its contents into the River Thames. When Ford realises what a joke Alice has played on the passionate fat knight, he must shamefully concede how unfounded his jealousy has been.

Act Three Scene One Back at the Garter Inn, still shivering after his involuntary cold bath, Falstaff muses on his adventure and the iniquities of the world. Mistress Quickly appears to report that Alice is in despair over his misfortune and begs him to visit her at midnight: he should come to the Herne Oak in Windsor Park, dressed as a black huntsman and with antlers on his head, where he will be rewarded for all his tribulations. There, he is told, they will be free of any disturbance, because nobody would dare venture into this allegedly haunted place. After an initial hesitation – he is now far less keen on adventures than he was before – Falstaff agrees to go.

As planned, Alice, Meg, Nannetta, Ford, Dr. Caius and Fenton have overheard the entire conversation. They now make their preparations for a midnight masquerade that will teach this love-crazed knight a further salutary lesson. Ford is also hoping to take advantage of the occasion to betroth his daughter to Dr. Caius. He is unaware, however, that his intrigue has been overheard: and Alice now lays her own plans to ensure that her husband ends up approving Nannetta and Fenton’s marriage instead.

Scene Two Falstaff arrives at the Herne Oak inWindsor Park punctually atmidnight – partly excited, partly apprehensive at what may be in store. His hoped-for tryst with Alice and Meg (who has also turned up) is soon rudely interrupted, though, by various citizens of Windsor who have disguised themselves as sprites, fairies and goblins. They taunt and torment the frightened knight, and force him to confess and repent of his sins, until Falstaff suddenly recognises Bardolfo and sees through the entire charade.

It is not only Falstaffwho has been duped, though: Ford’smarriage plans for his daughter also founder on thewomenfolk’s cunning. By switchingmasks, they ensure that Dr. Caius ends up being betrothed to Bardolfo (disguised as the Fairy Queen). Nannetta, meanwhile, appears at the side of Fenton, who is dressed in a monk’s habit. Ford, believing the monk to be Dr. Caius, gives the couple his blessing. “All the world’s a jest,” Falstaff sagely concludes, ending the entire midnight masquerade.

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