Verdi’s Falstaff directed by Stephen Langridge comes on GNO TV

Greek National Opera’s ambitious new production of the comic opera Falstaff comes on GNO TV. Giuseppe Verdi’s swan song, based on the Shakespeare comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor made its world premiere at the Greek National Opera in January 2023. The opera was conducted by Pier Giorgio Morandi and directed by the acclaimed director, and Artistic Director of the UK’s renowned Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Stephen Langridge. The opera has justly been called a masterpiece of the genre for its expressive economy and concise form – for its composer’s ability to encapsulate entire characters and situations with a single musical phrase. Indeed, the majority of the work is marked by sustained and often blistering shifts in tempo and tone, and between short melodic themes or harmonies. Falstaff himself is the opera’s only true lead role, around which everyone else revolves. Verdi avails himself of a vast palette in order to render the various facets of the main character. In his two monologues, Falstaff condemns the world as unfair and lectures on morality, and goes on to appear before Alice as a great heartbreaker and before her husband, Ford, as a vain knight, before ending up a laughingstock in the forest scene. Making his debut in the title role is the outstanding Greek baritone Dimitri Platanias, a soloist celebrated around the world. Performing the lead roles are the acclaimed Greek National Opera soloists Tassis Christoyannis, Vassilis Kavayas, Nicholas Stefanou, Yannis Kalyvas, Yanni Yannissis, Cellia Costea, Marilena Striftobola, Anna Agathonos, and Chrysanthi Spitadi. The production is being staged by the eminent director Stephen Langridge, who is returning to the GNO –following his successful staging of Carmen at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus– to create this outgoing, light-hearted, and wonderfully entertaining new production. Langridge, who was appointed Artistic Director of the UK’s renowned Glyndebourne Opera Festival in 2019, shifts the setting of Falstaff’s story to 1930s England, to a time dominated by the absurdity of a social hierarchy that bordered on feudalism. Aiming at a high-quality result, the performance was filmed in February, with a state-of-the-art eight-camera system and special cinematic techniques. Lead Donor of the GNO & Founding Donor of GNO TV: Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) #GNO #GreekNationalOpera #OperaFalstaff #VerdiOpera #ItalianOpera #OperaticComedy #GiuseppeVerdi #OperaLovers #OperaticMasterpiece #OperaPerformance