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Verdi: Falstaff / Weikl, Fink, Aguirre, Sandner

Verdi / Fink / Hebrowska / Aguirre / Sandner
Release Date: 07/26/2011 
Label:  Arthaus Musik   Catalog #: 101537  
Composer:  Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:  Yanyu Guo,  Carlos Aguirre,  Bernd Weikl,  Steffen Schantz,   ... 
Conductor:  Uwe Sandner
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Pfalz Theatre Orchestra Kaiserlautern,  Pfalz Theatre Choir Kaiserlautern
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 1 Hours 58 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

The stout Sir John Falstaff has financial problems. To refill his empty pockets he strives for amorous affairs with Alice and Meg, the wives of the rich citizens Ford and Page. The two ladies might even have consented, had they not received identical love letters. So they decide to play a trick on him. At the same time Alice exposes her husband’s chronic jealousy. In the end, Nannetta, the Fords’ daughter, is allowed to marry for love against her father’s plans.

Finally, a nightly masquerade in Windsor park brings out the moral of the story: „Tutto nel mondo è burla – All the world’s a burlesque“.

Towards the end of his operatic work, Giuseppe Verdi succeeds in a brilliant comedy of characters with Read more philosophical wisdom and sparkling musical wit. The libretto of Arrigo Boito is based upon William Shakespeare’s comedy „The Merry Wives of Windsor“ and scenes from „Henry IV“.

Bernd Weikl’s witty production shows the simultaneity of tragedy and comedy. The opera’s motto „All the world’s a burlesque“ is also reflected in the stage design of Thomas Doerfler and in the costumes of Julia Holewik. Both set and clothes are inspired by Shakespeare’s theatre, the Italian tradition of „Commedia dell’ arte“ and the world of circus.

Sir John Falstaff – Bernd Weikl
Dr Cajus – John Pickering
Mrs Alice Ford – Adelheid Fink
Mrs Meg Page – Wioletta Hebrowska
Ford – Carlos Aguirre
Nannetta – Arlette Meißner
Fenton – Steffen Schantz
Mrs Quickly – Yanyu Guo
Bardolfo – Marian Henze
Pistola – Alexis Wagner

Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern Chorus and Orchestra
Uwe Sandner, conductor Bernd Weikl, stage director
Thomas Dörfler, set designer
Julia Holewik, costume designer

Recorded live from the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern, 2010.

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: Italian, English, German
Running time: 118 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)
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Works on This Recording

1. Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:  Yanyu Guo (Mezzo Soprano), Carlos Aguirre (Baritone), Bernd Weikl (Baritone),
Steffen Schantz (Tenor), Arlette Meissner (Soprano), John Pickering (Tenor),
Adelheid Fink (Soprano), Wioletta Hebrowska (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:  Uwe Sandner
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Pfalz Theatre Orchestra Kaiserlautern,  Pfalz Theatre Choir Kaiserlautern
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1893; Italy 

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