Falstaff from the Salzburg Festival is screened as part of Operakino 26/27 and includes a 20-minute interval. The production follows Sir John Falstaff, a vain and boastful bon vivant who plans to seduce two married women to get money from them, only to be thoroughly mocked by the clever wives.
In this staging, director Michieletto places the story in a contemporary, highly symbolic setting inspired by Casa Verdi: a home for ageing musicians. Here, Falstaff appears as a former opera star reliving his life and roles through memories and dreams, making the opera both a comedy and a meditation on age, identity, and the transience of an artist's life. The cast includes Amborgio Maestri as Falstaff, Fiorenza Cedolin as Alice Ford, Stephanie Houtzeel as Meg Page, and Elisabeth Kulman as Mrs Quickly. Conducted by Zubin Mehta. Screened at Café Biografen.
