This opera in 4 acts is based on Shakespeare’s comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor
Act 1:
Introduces the comic favourite Sir John Falstaff. Facing financial difficulties he sets out to ‘woo’ two wealthy married women (Mistresses Ford and Page), writing them identical love letters and bidding his servants to deliver them, although they refuse and are sacked by Falstaff. In revenge the servants tell the two husbands of Flastaff’s plan. Master Ford is a jealous man and decides to find out what Falstaff is up to by meeting him in disguise. Falstaff has the letters delivered by his page.
Intertwined is the story of Mistress Page’s daughter Anne, who has three suitors: Doctor Caius (preferred by the mother); Master Slender (favoured by the father); and Master Fenton, sought by Anne although he has previously lost his wealth. Anne and Fenton meet, but only for him to be chased away by her father as he believes he only seeks Anne’s family money.
Act 2:
The two married women meet and compare Falstaff’s identical letters and plan revenge against him. They send a message to meet him later that night.
Ford, disguised, meets Falstaff, promising him money if he can seduce Ford’s wife. He learns that Falstaff has already arranged to meet her that night and is shocked and angered.
Act 3:
Anne and Fenton meet, she telling him of her parents’ plans. They agree to find a priest to marry them.
Dr Caius plans to challenge Parson Evans to a duel over Anne, mistakenly thinking that the Parson is interested in her. Eventually the challenge peters out.
The two wives are setting their trap for Falstaff. After Falstaff meets Mistress Ford, Mistress Page bursts in to warn of Master Ford’s jealous arrival, and they instruct Falstaff to hide in a laundry basket. Ford then does arrive in a rage, but the servants smuggle out the laundry basket before he can find Falstaff.
Act 4:
Ford asks forgiveness from his wife and together the Fords and Pages plot revenge on Falstaff, luring him to a supposedly haunted forest where fairies torment unaware travellers. Falstaff himself is convinced to dress as a hunter, wearing antlers. Soon he is surrounded by Anne and dancing fairies.
Caius and Slender arrive, having been told that Anne will be wearing a certain coloured dress, and each leave with a fairy dressed in that colour. Anne leaves and secretly marries Fenton. At the end all parties reunite and take the trickery in good humour.
Act 1:
Introduces the comic favourite Sir John Falstaff. Facing financial difficulties he sets out to ‘woo’ two wealthy married women (Mistresses Ford and Page), writing them identical love letters and bidding his servants to deliver them, although they refuse and are sacked by Falstaff. In revenge the servants tell the two husbands of Flastaff’s plan. Master Ford is a jealous man and decides to find out what Falstaff is up to by meeting him in disguise. Falstaff has the letters delivered by his page.
Intertwined is the story of Mistress Page’s daughter Anne, who has three suitors: Doctor Caius (preferred by the mother); Master Slender (favoured by the father); and Master Fenton, sought by Anne although he has previously lost his wealth. Anne and Fenton meet, but only for him to be chased away by her father as he believes he only seeks Anne’s family money.
Act 2:
The two married women meet and compare Falstaff’s identical letters and plan revenge against him. They send a message to meet him later that night.
Ford, disguised, meets Falstaff, promising him money if he can seduce Ford’s wife. He learns that Falstaff has already arranged to meet her that night and is shocked and angered.
Act 3:
Anne and Fenton meet, she telling him of her parents’ plans. They agree to find a priest to marry them.
Dr Caius plans to challenge Parson Evans to a duel over Anne, mistakenly thinking that the Parson is interested in her. Eventually the challenge peters out.
The two wives are setting their trap for Falstaff. After Falstaff meets Mistress Ford, Mistress Page bursts in to warn of Master Ford’s jealous arrival, and they instruct Falstaff to hide in a laundry basket. Ford then does arrive in a rage, but the servants smuggle out the laundry basket before he can find Falstaff.
Act 4:
Ford asks forgiveness from his wife and together the Fords and Pages plot revenge on Falstaff, luring him to a supposedly haunted forest where fairies torment unaware travellers. Falstaff himself is convinced to dress as a hunter, wearing antlers. Soon he is surrounded by Anne and dancing fairies.
Caius and Slender arrive, having been told that Anne will be wearing a certain coloured dress, and each leave with a fairy dressed in that colour. Anne leaves and secretly marries Fenton. At the end all parties reunite and take the trickery in good humour.