Falstaff: Setting The Attractions Of My Good Parts Aside

Verdi's Falstaff opens Opera North's new season at Leeds Grand Theatre.

As Falstaff himself said: "Setting the attractions of my good parts aside, I have no other charms.". Fortunately for us Opera North's latest production of Verdi's Falstaff has plenty of charms of its own.

I don't recall Sir John Falstaff in Merry Wives of Windsor actually telling anybody to "sod off", but it does sound the sort of thing he might say. An earthy English translation by Amanda Holden marks this production as something a little different and brings the libretto right up to date.

Henry Waddington takes on the role of Falstaff with Kate Royal (Alice Ford) and Helen Évora (Meg Page) as the wives he looks to seduce. All three, as one might expect, produce highly engaging performances and it's not hard to see why Falstaff falls for Alice and Meg.

Richard Burkhard makes a welcome return to Opera North as Ford, with Isabelle Peters as his daughter Nannetta and Egor Zhuravskii as her suitor, Fenton.

Opera North Music Director Garry Walker conducts the orchestra of Opera North who waltz through the famously well-crafted score with apparent ease.

Whilst this is a ensemble piece, any production of Falstaff relies heavily (yes, that's a pun) on our eponymous anti-hero, and bass-baritone Henry Waddington delivers the requisite pomp and self-importance in spades. He has a rich and powerful voice throughout his range and is particularly impressive at the lower end - adding acoustic weight to his substantial visual appearance.

In a remarkable career spanning six decades, Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) composed 28 operas and at least half of these are still at the heart of the opera repertoire. Verdi began work on Falstaff when he was in his mid-70s, and it was his first operatic comedy in 50 years. Neither his age nor his unassailable back-catalogue seem to have diminished his creativity and Falstaff brims over with interesting characters.

Verdi rather specialised in tortured clowns and when Sir John Falstaff emerges from a sewer-like Thames to sing “Mondo ladro” - literally, Thief World - then more than a whiff of Rigoletto is revealed. Henry Waddington, of course, delivers this with all the bravado and pathos required.

Soprano Kate Royal (Alice Ford) and Mezzo Soprano Helen Évora (Meg Page) have sparkle and charm to spare and, despite their persistent persecution of Falstaff, seemed to have a soft spot for the old buffer. He certainly has a softer landing than the torrid treatment dished out by Shakespeare.

Directed by Olivia Fuchs with set design by Leslie Travers and costume design by Gabrielle Dalton, the production is the first show in Opera North's Green Season. This sees Opera North staging three operas as sustainably as possible, guided by the Theatre Green Book and exploring more environmentally-responsible options for sets, props, costumes, lighting and touring. And, despite the requirements of the Theatre Green Book, Leslie Travers and Gabrielle Dalton managed to produce an excellent set and a well dressed cast. Nothing to worry about there.

For all three operas, in the words of the man himself:
"I hope good luck lies in odd numbers." (Falstaff, Act 5, Scene 1)
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