Gianni Schicchi/Buoso's Ghost, 2006
Photo: J. Reeder
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Falstaff
By Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor
Time: 15th century
Place: Windsor, England
Act I
Scene 1: A room at the Garter Inn
Sir John Falstaff is accused by Doctor Caius of being a thief. Falstaff’s only recourse is to have him tossed out of the Garter Inn. Falstaff then chides his hangers-on Bardolfo and Pistola for being so clumsy thieves as to be caught by Caius. After being presented with his bill by the Inn Keeper, Falstaff describes his scheme for making money which includes wheedling Misters Ford and Page of their gold and their wives. As part of his plan, Falstaff demands that Pistola and Bardolfo deliver love letters on behalf of their master, but they refuse on the account of their honor. Falstaff dismisses them, and hands the letters to a page boy for delivery.
Scene 2: A room at the Ford house
Alice Ford and Meg Page receive the letters, and along with Quickly and Nanetta (Ford’s daughter) they plan to play the rotund old Knight for a fool. Rendering null and void their honor, Bardolfo and Pistola expose Falstaff’s plan to Ford. Enter Fenton, who is secretly in love with Nanetta who offers his services to Ford to help punish Falstaff.
Act II
Scene 1: At the Garter Inn
Dame Quickly arrives and announces to Sir John that his letters have been received favorably and that Alice Ford will meet with him between two and three o’clock, the time when her husband is customarily out. Quickly announces that Meg Page is also in love with him. Sir John sends Quickly off with a token of his gratitude and a positive response to the meeting.
Enter Ford in disguise as “Mr. Fontana,” who has an offer for Falstaff. In exchange for some help in winning the heart of Alice Ford, he will reward Falstaff with a bag of gold coins. Falstaff heartily accepts the offer as he brags about his fortuitous meeting with Alice that very day. Falstaff exits to prepare himself as Ford, left alone, sings of his shock and mortification. Falstaff returns in all his splendor as the two leave together, “best of friends.”
Scene 2: A room at the Ford house
Quickly arrives back from her visit with Falstaff and recounts to the other women the results of her mission and how Falstaff has swallowed the bait. However Nannetta isn’t laughing as she discovers that her father has promised her hand in marriage to Caius – alas, we learn she wants to marry Fenton. They set the scene for the trap. Alice, now alone, waits for Falstaff’s arrival. Falstaff enters, Alice listens to his advances but keeps him at a safe distance.
Quickly runs into the room exclaiming the arrival of Meg Page. Meg announces that Ford is immediately behind, and he’s after Sir John’s head. Falstaff is hidden behind a screen. Enter Ford, Fenton, Caius, Bardolfo and Pistola looking everywhere for Falstaff to no avail. The moment they leave Falstaff jumps into the basket and, spying a moment alone, Nanetta and Fenton steal a lovers’ embrace. Ford, returning in a huff after having searched the house in vain, suddenly is interrupted by the sound of a kiss behind the screen. He finds Nannetta and Fenton together, whom he warns against pursuing his daughter. The two escape. Bardolfo exclaims that he just saw Falstaff fumbling on the stairs and the group rushes to find him. Seeking no alternate way of escape, the ladies return with some servants and empty the laundry basket, with the hidden Falstaff still inside, directly into the river Thames.
ACT III
Scene 1: A public square near the Garter Inn
Falstaff, who sits soaking wet from his dunking in the Thames, is fuming over the treatment he has received. Quickly interrupts his soliloquy with another letter from Alice inviting him to a midnight rendezvous. Quickly convinces Falstaff that his poor treatment wasn’t Alice’s fault – the others hidden nearby claim it was all the fault of the servants. But Alice Ford is still pursuing her plan to teach the old rogue a lesson. Falstaff is instructed to arrive incognito as Herne the Hunter, so that only Alice will recognize him.
Falstaff and Quickly depart to enter the tavern. Outside, the final joke is planned by the ladies: Nanetta will disguise herself as the Fairy Queen, Meg will be the Green Nymph and Quickly a witch. They will be joined by elves, spirits, devils and imps. The plan is to set the fear of the Herne legend upon Falstaff, make him confess, teach him a lesson and then all join in a good laugh afterwards.
Now convinced of his wife’s fidelity, Ford plans to participate in the festivities along with Caius and Fenton. Unbeknownst to the ladies, Ford decides that while they are all disguised and under cover of darkness, he will bless Nanetta and Caius as man and wife. Quickly, however, has overheard Ford’s plan of a night wedding and runs to tell the ladies.
Scene 2: Midnight, at Herne’s Oak in the Great Park at Windsor
We hear Fenton singing alone a song of love as he pines for Nanetta. She enters and his song ends with an embrace. Alice arrives with a disguise for Fenton who is told not to ask questions. Quickly arranges to disguise Bardolfo as a bride to fool Ford and Caius. Everyone hides. Falstaff, right on cue arrives at midnight, dressed as Herne the Hunter. He is convinced that his bull horns represent the love of Jove and Europa as “love makes man a beast.” Alice pretends to listen to these declarations of love.
When the witches come, Sir John hides his face in fear and the others surround him in their disguises. Nanetta leads the spectral dance as they all join in to taunt, insult and insist on Sir John’s repentance. Terrified, he gives in and repents. Falstaff recognizes Bardolfo and is thrown into a rage, but he is exhausted and needs a rest. The others remove their disguises, a gentle teasing continues as Falstaff confesses that it is at his expense that they can appear so clever – his wit has created the wit in others. Ford steps forward and forgives him, announcing a happy ending to be crowned with a wedding. Alice introduces another couple. Ford finding this all the merrier blesses a double wedding. At the last moment he realizes that Nanetta in fact is marrying Fenton and that in offering his double blessing he has married Caius to Bardolfo. Alice assures her husband that men fall into nets woven by their own folly. Nanetta pleads forgiveness, and Ford grants his blessing. Falstaff leads the crowd in a final lesson: “All the world is a joke.”
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