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In old age Verdi lived well on his royalties and kept an interest in politics, passionately supporting the cause of Italian unification. The subject of daughters searching for a surrogate father and fathers for daughters runs through much of his work. At his death left sketches for an opera based on King Lear. As well as Otello, he completed Macbeth (1847, revised 1865) and Falstaff was completed in 1893. Much of Verdi’s mature work was inspired by Shakespeare, which he read in translation. His next new opera, Otello, was not premiered until 1887, when it was hailed as his masterwork. In later years Verdi was hugely in demand, culminating in a commission to write an Egyptian opera, Aida, for the Royal Opera House in Cairo in 1871. Even so, Verdi once again locked horns with the censors and was forced to set the opera in the early 1700s. Verdi rapidly consolidated his operatic ascendancy across Europe but he was frequently at odds with local censors because the politics of his operas invariably attacked authority. In 1853 a bold decision to write La traviata for Teatro La Fenice in Venice gave Verdi a popular success that also tackled a contemporary issue, that of ‘the fallen woman’.

Persuaded to write one more opera, Verdi found himself catapulted to fame and undisputed prominence after Nabucco premiered in 1842. By the age of 27 he was left prostrate with grief and declared he would abandon music altogether.

In quick succession, his wife and two young children died. He persevered but tragedy struck by the time he had completed his first two (relatively unknown) operas. The son of an innkeeper, young Verdi was offered a grant to study in Milan but was turned down by the Conservatoire. We hope you enjoy Verdi’s fast-paced, life-affirming comedy.īorn: Le Roncole near Busseto, 1813 Died: Milan, 1901 We are also thrilled to have support from such a large number of Falstaff Appeal donors, the Alexander Gibson Circle, the Garfield Weston Foundation (Weston Culture Fund) and the Scottish Opera Endowment Trust. Scottish Opera remains hugely grateful to the Scottish Government for its ongoing core funding and the Dunard Fund for its generous gift that has made a production of this scale possible. And of course, thanks to you too, not only for trusting us to make your experience at today’s performance as safe as it is artistically fulfilling, but also for your patience with our plans going forwards.

I'd like to extend my huge thanks and express my considerable pride to the entire team at Scottish Opera for their dedication to bring you ‘live’ opera with Falstaff. Our exceptional cast is led by two of last year’s stars of La bohème – Roland Wood as Sir John Falstaff, and Elizabeth Llewellyn as Alice Ford. As well as all the richness this production brings, we really hope you are able to have a proper laugh and a really enjoyable evening.

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Every moment in this production has been so thoroughly researched, before being lovingly crafted.Ĭreative thinking has allowed our Music Director Stuart Stratford to include the full Orchestra of Scottish Opera, along with a full Chorus, despite the restrictions performing organisations are living under. David has been with us for every step of this journey to present Falstaff the demanding set-build with our workshop team led so ably by Edd Smith collaborating with our Head of Costume Lorna Price to create the beautiful costumes you’ll see and conjuring up clever solutions with our Head of Props Marian Colquhoun. One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 cloud has been the opportunity to work with the extraordinary Scottish Director and Designer Sir David McVicar, whose home is now back in Glasgow. It is a huge relief for the company to be performing live opera again – and an immense joy to also return to planning, building and crafting these very special outdoor performances of Verdi’s Falstaff. On behalf of everyone at Scottish Opera, welcome back!

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