Brilliant Bryn, but not a one man show…
Yesterday to Grange Park Opera to see Falstaff with Bryn Terfel.
Billed as Verdi’s only comic opera, like its source (The Merry Wives..) it somewhat lacks laugh-aloud gag lines. On the other hand, like its source, great actors (and Terfel is) can bring out the humour, and, as necessary, the pathos.
As very much the hub of this production, Terfel is surrounded by other more than competent singers to complement his very fine voice, in particular Natalya Romaniw as Alice Ford.
It was peculiar (nowadays) for each scene to be punctuated by a curtain and short pause – even when there was not much change of scenery – we are so used nowadays for scenes to segue into each other.
And Falstaff’s page was played (until the final curtain) by a small – as it turned out - woman in full 15th century plate armour with a closed visor, even though the remainder of the cast were dressed 1601 (why is it that The Merry Wives is so often set Tudor when Falstaff starts out as Henry V’s drinking companion?).
Had the weather complemented the quality of the opera the night would have been wholly delightful, but a 90 minute dinner break drags when the gardens and marquees are being lashed with rain. But if you can see it in good weather…