Shakespeare in Music

Based upon The Merry Wives of Windsor, Salieri’s Falstaff remains one of the earliest operatic versions of Shakespeare’s play. It tells the story of the boastful Sir John Falstaff’s attempts to woo two wealthy married women, but his plans are haltered through witty and elaborate pranks. A central moment includes a scene in which Falstaff, hiding from Mr Ford in a laundry basket, is carried out of the house from under his nose. The work premiered ...