Falstaff (1994)

The opera takes place in Windsor, England, c. 1600.

Scene 1
Sir John Falstaff, composing two love letters, is disturbed by the arrival of the pompous French physician, Dr. Caius, who demands reparations against Falstaff’s “retainers,” Pistol and Bardolph, for robbing the doctor while he was drunk the previous evening. Falstaff berates his companions, not for robbing the old pedant, but for their lack of style. He himself is in dire financial straits, and hopes to improve his circumstances by loosening the purse- strings of one of two attractive Windsor wives, Alice Ford and Meg Page. He has written identical love letters to each of them, but Pistol and Bardolph refuse to act as his pander, so he sends off Robin, the inn’s pot-boy, with the letters.

Scene 2
Meg and Alice have received the letters, and instantly see through Falstaff’s trickery. They are encouraged by Mistress Quickly and Ford’s daughter, Anne (Nanetta), to take some delicious revenge. As they leave to discuss their plans, Ford appears with Caius, who is complaining about his treatment at Falstaff’s hands, and with Bardolph and Pistol, who have revealed Falstaff’s intentions towards Ford’s wife. Ford angrily contemplates his impending cuckoldry, and then departs. Young Fenton, following in Ford’s wake, snatches a few hasty kisses from his sweetheart, Nanetta. Both groups return, each hatching its own plot for revenge. Alice will make an assignation with Falstaff and then discomfit him with the feigned return of her jealous husband. Ford, for his part, will go – disguised as Master Brook – and bribe Falstaff to act as pander between him and his own wife, and so unmask them both.

Scene 1
Bardolph and Pistol hypocritically ask Falstaff’s forgiveness, while introducing Mistress Quickly with a message. She indicates that her friend Alice Ford may be persuaded to receive Falstaff between two and three o’clock. Quickly has hardly left when “Master Brook” is announced; he pays Falstaff handsomely to arrange a meeting between himself and Mistress Ford. Falstaff hastens to agree.

Scene 2
Quickly reports that Falstaff is on his way. The plan is to hide the old knight in a basket of filthy laundry and throw him into the river. Their merriment is interrupted by Nanetta. Her father has promised her hand in marriage to the odious Dr. Caius. Alice cheers her by promising that the marriage will take place over her dead body. The others hide as Falstaff arrives and declares himself. The wooing is interrupted by the actual return of Ford and his cronies, who turn the house upside down in an effort to find the cuckoo in the nest. At first, Falstaff hides behind a screen, but as soon as Ford has left the room he is stuffed into the laundry basket. Ford returns and discovers Fenton and Nanetta behind the screen. He is more indignant than. Ever until Alice shows her husband the spectacle of the laundry basket – dirty sheets, Falstaff and all – floating down the River Thames.

Scene 1
Falstaff, drying off back at the inn, is disillusioned with life. Quickly appears with another note from Alice, apologizing for the afternoon’s debacle and asking for another assignation. Sir John is gradually won over; he is to disguise himself as Herne, the ghostly huntsman, and meet Alice at midnight under Heme’s Oak in Windsor Forest. Ford plots that Nanetta shall be married to Dr. Caius that very night, but the merry wives have other plans in mind.

Scene 2
It is a moonlit night; everyone is in disguise. Falstaff approaches and begins to woo Alice. His awkward lovemaking is interrupted by “supernatural” sounds. Alice flees, while Falstaff flings himself to the ground in terror. The entire company appears, variously disguised as fairies, elves, and demons. They give Falstaff a sound thrashing to teach him to mend his ways, but the masquerade collapses when Falstaff recognizes Bardolph. The “double wedding” ensues: Caius to the “fairy queen” who turns out to be a veiled Bardolph, and a disguised Nanetta to Fenton. In the merriment that follows, all is forgiven. Falstaff suggests a final chorus, to be followed by supper.

Totally mad, all’s folly.
Man is born to be jolly –
Spinning and whirling,
Ever turning,
Our life’s a joke –
Living with laughter,
Making a jest of all that befalls him
Passing the test
If he laughs the best
To find the jest
Played on him!
Men live by laughter!