Seattle Opera's production of "Falstaff" is as light on its feet as Dame Quickly, one of the women who outfoxes the conniving title character in Verdi's career-crowning comedic masterpiece.
"Falstaff," which opened Saturday, has a far more upbeat view of revenge than the fatally devastating retribution of Verdi's "Il Trovatore," the previous entry in Seattle Opera's Verdi-centric 2009-10 season. Based on William Shakespeare's comedy "The Merry Wives of Windsor," the plot of "Falstaff" follows both the gluttonous and amoral knight who woos two wealthy married women to get at their money, and the intrigues of the clever women, who conspire to turn his scam on its head.
Director Peter Kazaras' imagining of Verdi's comedy had its first outing three years ago at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center in Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program. True to the theatricality Kazaras is known for, he breaks the imaginary fourth wall in the fashion of playwright Bertolt Brecht, owning brazenly up to the fact that this is a performance. Blurring the lines between make-believe and reality, singers don costumes and warm up onstage, move set pieces on and off, and sit on the sidelines in the audience's line of sight when not performing.
Expanded from its Meydenbauer premiere, Donald Eastman's set furthers Kazaras' concept with wooden sawhorses supporting plank walkways, platforms and sliding closets, suggesting a performance space of Shakespeare's era. Connie Yun's night lighting of Eastman's gigantic tree of chairs is bewitching, but elsewhere her hefty use of white light feels overly harsh for a comedy.
Despite big ensemble scenes, Kazaras keeps the action moving to the beat of his characters' motivations and allows the music to dictate choice maneuvers, much like choreography. Under the baton of Italian conductor Riccardo Frizza, the orchestra was suitably spirited on opening night, yet sometimes too much so, occasionally drowning out a quieter vocal passage. The well-oiled chorus as rehearsed by chorusmaster Beth Kirchhoff added texture and richness.
On opening night, bass Peter Rose was appropriately Falstaffian in voice and character. Rose also brought a sympathetic humanity to the reprehensible title character, whether recalling the strapping youth Falstaff once was or forgiving the women for upsetting his plans.
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe was in fine form and very nearly stole the show as Dame Quickly. Her nimble machinations as she toyed with Falstaff--from deliberately leaning over to entice the knight with her cleavage to suggestively fondling a roasted bird-had the audience roaring with laughter. Soprano Svetla Vassileva was a feisty Alice Ford and Sasha Cooke a determined Meg Page.
As with Ford on opening night, Weston Hurt imbued the jealous husband with just the right touch of fury, making Ford's attempts to stifle his green-eyed monster while pulling his own con on Falstaff all the funnier. Even better, Hurt has a baritone as mellifluous as the best tenors.
Adding complications to the storyline are two young lovers--Nannetta and Fenton-unable to wed due to parental opposition. Former Seattle Opera Young Artist Anya Matanovic's silvery soprano was an audience pleaser as Nannetta, and Blagoj Nacoski was engaging as Fenton.
Stephen Goldstein and Ashraf Sewailam upped the comic ante with well-timed physical bits as Falstaff's sidekicks Bardolph and Pistol. Doug Jones was a delight as the irritatingly sycophantic Dr. Caius, and his interaction with Bardolph during the wedding ceremony in Act III nearly brought the house down.
Seattle Opera's "Falstaff" plays at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., through Saturday, March 13. Prices starting at $25. Tickets/information: 389-7676, www.seattleopera.org.
Freelance writer Maggie Larrick lives in the Seattle area and is the former editor of the News.[[In-content Ad]]
