Opera North’s Falstaff – Leeds Grand Theatre

Music: Giuseppe Verdi

Conductor: Garry Walker

Director: Olivia Fuchs

Opera North’s Green Season consists of three operas, all relying on sets, props and costumes that have been sourced from previous productions or bought second-hand. Under the guidance of set designer Leslie Travers the designs for all three have been crafted from these materials and we are told that we will discern similarities between them.

So how does this affectFalstaff? For a start a splendid caravan has been found, home to Falstaff (on a pub car park, one imagines) and decorated with all that one might imagine for Falstaff, notably a dart board (outside) and a drinks cabinet (inside). The design team shows a sense of humour too, with a sweet little deer that appears in every scene, including the mayhem in Windsor Forest where Falstaff, as Herne the hunter with a magnificent set of horns, undergoes ritual humiliation. The stage picture is less complete than it might be, however, with the caravan, for instance, visible in the wings when not required. And could the gaps between scenes have been avoided without the manipulation and re-positioning of props? These quibbles are no more than quibbles: what is more important, an opulent opera production or the future of the planet? And this Falstaff looks good and the principals at least are handsomely costumed by Gabrielle Dalton.

Falstaffis modelled on Shakespeare’sMerry Wives of Windsor, slimmed down with great skill by Arrigo Boito and with the odd extract from theHenry IVplays, notably the “Honour” soliloquy, to give substance to the old rogue. The cast list is reduced to ten, all of whom have plenty to do, in most cases in the ensemble passages that characterise the opera – and Falstaff still gets dumped in the Thames in a basket of smelly laundry and pricked and teased by “supernatural” beings in Windsor Forest.

Olivia Fuchs directs with energy and a nice grasp of detail, though some scenes would benefit from a more natural sense of humour. Such is supplied by Henry Waddington as Falstaff, absurdly dignified as he sits on his “throne” outside the caravan, equally absurd in his belief in his own ability to charm women, rather pathetic in his realisation that he is growing old – and delivering it all in the richest of bass-baritones.

A strong supporting cast includes an outstanding Alice Ford from Kate Royal, her glorious singing dominating as the character should, and a splendid Ford in Richard Burkhart, generating all the humour in his fury as the disguised Mr. Brook. Another comic gem comes from Paul Nilon, interfering, afraid to take any action as Doctor Caius, Nannetta’s unfortunate suitor. Helen Evora (Meg Page) and Louise Winter (Mistress Quickly) play their part admirably in the assorted tricks; Isabelle Peters (Nannetta) expresses her love for Fenton (Egor Zhuravskii) with increasing eloquence; and Colin Judson and Dean Robinson are a fine duo of turncoat Falstaff supporters.

Under Garry Walker’s dynamic baton the orchestra plays beautifully, savouring those moments when the pit emphasises onstage drama or (mostly) comedy.

Runs in repertoire until 25th October 2023, then tours.