Palm Beach Opera's company premiere of 'Falstaff' opens Friday
Palm Beach Opera will present Giuseppe Verdi’s final opera, “Falstaff,” for the first time in company history this weekend.
Based on Shakespeare’s iconic character, “Falstaff” brings the notorious knight to life with a whimsical yet sophisticated story and an ensemble tour de force. The immersive production also features a set design inspired by the famed Globe Theatre in London, adding another Shakespearean element to the opera.
“Falstaff,” which runs Friday to Sunday at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, will mark the final opera of Palm Beach Opera's season, which also featured “Madama Butterfly” and “Così fan tutte.”
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Returning to the company for this production are conductor Antonello Allemandi and director Garnett Bruce, who worked together in Palm Beach Opera's production of "Carmen" last year.
Returning for his eighth Palm Beach Opera production, baritone Michael Chioldi will perform the title role.
Soprano Amber Wagner will return as Alice Ford; mezzo-soprano Lauren Decker will mark her company debut as Mistress Quickly; Andrew Manea, who performed as Count Danilo in PBO's recent "The Merry Widow," will return as Ford; Andrea Carroll will perform the role of Nannetta; Anthony Ciaramitaro is returning to the company as Fenton; and second-year Benenson Young Artist Meridian Prall will perform as Meg Page.
“We are thrilled to present Verdi’s final opera at Palm Beach Opera for the very first time,” General Director David Walker said in a prepared statement. “Featuring a layered plot, lush music, and unforgettable characters, ’Falstaff’ is a masterful blend of comedy and romance — perfect for first-timers and opera fans alike.”
"Falstaff" premiered in 1893, in Verdi's 80th year. It is based on Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" as well as "Henry IV, Part I."
“Falstaff” will be sung in Italian with English supertitles projected above the stage.
Palm Beach Opera's season will conclude with a Liederabend on March 29, featuring the company’s 2023 season Bailey Apprentice Artists. A "Liederabend" — German for "evening of song" — is a recital of art songs. The concert, which will include Hugo Wolf's "Italian Songbook," will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Cornelia T. Bailey Opera Center, 425 24th St., West Palm Beach. For more information, visit pbopera.org.
The company has announced its 2023-24 season. It will open Jan. 26-28, 2024, with Puccini's "Tosca," presented in honor of the 100th anniversary of the composer's death in 1924. Next up is Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann," presented March 1-3, 2024. The final opera of the season will be Vincenzo Bellini's bel canto masterwork "Norma," which takes the stage April 5-7, 2024.
If you go:
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Single tickets start at $25. Tickets are available online at pbopera.org or by calling the box office at 561-833-7888.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach Opera's company premiere of 'Falstaff' opens Friday
