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Home , Aida, Croesus (opera), Don Carlos, Falstaff (opera), Falstaff (Salieri), Giuseppe Verdi

Table of 101: Getting Ready for the Opera 4 A Brief History of Western Opera 6 Philadelphia’s Academy of Music 8 Broad Street: Avenue of the Arts Con9tOperae Etiquette 101 nts 10 Why I Like Opera by Taylor Baggs

Relating Opera to History: The Culture Connection 11 : Hero of 12 Verdi Timeline 13 Make Your Own Timeline 14 Game: Crossword Puzzle 16 Bard of Stratford – 18 All the World’s a Stage: The Globe Theatre

Falstaff: and Production Information 20 Falstaff Synopsis 22 Meet the Artists 23 Introducing 24 Falstaff LIBRETTO

Behind the Scenes: Careers in the Arts 65 Game: Connect the Opera Terms 66 So You Want to Sing Like an Opera Singer! 68 The Highs and Lows of the Operatic Voice 70 Life in the Opera Chorus: Julie-Ann Whitely 71 The Subtle Art of Costume Design

Lessons 72 Conflicts and Loves in Falstaff 73 Review of Philadelphia’s First Falstaff 74 2006-2007 Season Subscriptions

Glossary 75

State Standards 79

State Standards Met 80 A Brief History of 4 Western Opera

Theatrical performances that use music, song Music was changing, too. and dance to tell a story can be found in many Composers abandoned the ornate cultures. Opera is just one example of music drama. Baroque style of music and began In its 400-year history opera has been shaped by the to write less complicated music 1567-1643 times in which it was created and tells us much that expressed the character’s thoughts and feelings about those who participated in the art form as writers, more believably. One of the first to use composers, performers, and audience members. this new style was Cristoph Willibald Gluck’s Orpheus and Euridice (1762). The first works to be called “operas” were created in Italy at the end of the sixteenth century. With the new democratic sentiments came They were inspired by a group of intellectuals known interest in operas about common people in familiar as the Camerata who admired the culture of the settings, rather than stories from ancient mythology. ancient Greeks. They proposed the invention of a A good example is Wolfgang Mozart’s new style of music theater that would imitate Greek (1786), in which a servant drama’s use of music. outsmarts a count. Several of Mozart’s operas remain among the most popular today, including The result was a series of operas based on Figaro, (1788), Così fan tutte (1790), Greek myths, starting with Dafne by Jacopo Peri in and The Magic (1791). 1598. The most famous work of this early period is Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607), based on the In the nineteenth century operas continued to myth of Orpheus. These early operas had all the grow more diverse in their forms and national styles. basic elements that we associate with opera today: The Italian tradition continued in the songs, instrumental accompaniments, dance, movement. Operas written in this style, which means costumes, and scenery. “beautiful singing,” included with intricate ornamentation, or combinations of fast notes, in the These early operas were performed in the melodies. The most famous composers of bel canto courts of Italian noblemen, but soon opera became are , and popular with the general public. Europe had a Gioacchino Rossini, whose The Barber of growing middle class with a taste for spectacular (1816) is one of the most beloved comic operas. . During the Baroque period (1600 - 1750), the Italian style of opera was so popular that Later in the century the Romantic Movement it became the preferred form even in foreign grew throughout Europe as operas celebrated national countries. George Frideric Handel was a German- pride in a country’s people, history and folklore. born composer who lived and worked in England, Among the operas that showed the growth of patriotic but his operas such as Julius Caesar (1724) were in traditions are ’s Der the Italian language and in the Italian style. The only Freischütz (Germany, 1821), ’s nation to develop a national tradition to rival Ruslan and Lyudmilla (, 1842) and Georges the Italian was , where operas often included Bizet’s (France, 1875). In Italy Giuseppe . Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau are the most famous French Baroque opera composers. By the middle of the eighteenth century the European middle class was more influential than ever. People spoke of new forms of government and organization in society. Soon the American and French Revolutions (1776 and 1789) fought to establish the first modern democracies.

Bass Kevin Glavin gets a close shave from Roberto DeCandia in Rossini’s . Verdi composed in a bold, direct style. In Germany took the Romantic style to the extreme in an ambitious series of four operas based 5 on Norse mythology known collectively as The Ring of the Nibelungs (1876). In the twentieth century opera became more experimental. Some composers such as (La bohème, 1896), (Pélleas and Mélisande, 1902), (, 1905), and (Peter Renowned baritone Grimes, 1945) continued their nationalistic styles. as Verdi’s and Others, horrified by the destructive effects of World Philadelphia’s War I (1914-1919) and modern life, created radi- first Falstaff. cally experimental and dissonant works that explored topics that were disturbing (Wozzeck by Alban Berg, 1925) or absurdist (The Rake’s Progress by Igor Stravinsky, 1951). American opera came into its own in this century, beginning with George Gershwin’s jazz-influenced opera Porgy and Bess (1935). In the latter part of the cen- tury a repetitive and hypnotic style known as mini- Verdi’s Falstaff had its first performance in Philadelphia malism was championed in Phillip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach (1976). The late twentieth century at the Academy of Music on Thursday afternoon, February 7, even saw a return to some of the traits of Romantic 1895. This was just three days after the American premiere in opera in works such as John Corigliano’s The New York and was almost exactly two years from the date of its Ghosts of Versailles (1991). world premiere. It was totally sold-out at the Academy. The Today, opera is a living art form in which both performance was given by the in New York. new works and those by composers of the past The role of Falstaff was played by Victor Maurel who had created continue to be performed. It remains to be seen what the role in the first productions in Italy. He was considered a the future of opera will be, but if history is any perfect performer for the role and traveled with the production indication, it will be shaped by the creativity of to the premieres in Paris, London, New York, and Philadelphia. librettists, composers and other artists responding to the changing times in which they live. He was able to bring out each detail of the character’s innate vulgarity without ever rendering him offensive. (See review on page 73.) World Premiere of Falstaff The world premiere of Verdi’s Falstaff was at Teatro alla While Falstaff was considered a great success by those Scala in , Italy on , 1893. The fact that Verdi in attendance, they counted themselves lucky for another reason produced such a masterpiece is considered even more besides the possession of the prized ticket. That evening a second unbelievable because of his advanced age at the time of opera was scheduled at the Academy and it was to have an composition. Verdi was almost eighty years old. The opera’s unexpected ending. While the day had stared as any normal success was so great that the King of Italy sent Verdi a telegram winter day, as it wore on, a cold snap came down from the and invited him to the Palazzo del Quirinale (Royal Quirinale north that sent temperatures falling below zero, and with the Palace), the official royal residence, for the opera’s Rome wind came the snows. In spite of the falling snow, the Academy premiere. This opera was a true labor of love for Verdi. During was again packed. Some audience members realized that the most of his career, he composed serious operas with great did not seem normal and they left at the intermissions. arias and large scenes. This time was to be different. In this Those who stayed to the final curtain at 12:30 AM struggled to opera he focused on smaller details to penetrate his characters’ leave the Academy and, as they did, they entered a city in the emotions rather than the massive dramatic effects that he used grips of the great blizzard of 1895. Waist-high snow drifts in his many tragedies. With this comedy, only the second that covered Broad Street and fifteen-foot-high drifts blocked trains he ever wrote, Verdi composed to entertain himself and enjoyed throughout the region. It was truly a day and night of opera for every aspect of it. Without any question, his Falstaff is one of the history books. the great masterpieces of . Philadelphia’s 6 Academy of Music

Few Philadelphians know that the great Academy of Music The Commissioners held a competition to select the design of the Academy. Fifteen architects was dedicated to the memory of Mozart. submitted designs between October 3 and December 15 As the guests enter the ’s main of 1854. The winners were announced on February 12, hall, there above the proscenium arch, over the 1855. Gustav Rungé and Napoleon le Brun won Academy stage, a bas-relief of Mozart looks down the $400 prize. It was their idea to dedicate the upon the audience. This place of prominence for Academy to Mozart’s memory. Within four months Mozart indicates that the builders of the Academy the ground-breaking took place. This project was so expected to attract the finest known important that President Franklin Pierce, along to the world. However, building this Opera House with Governor James Pollock and Mayor Robert T. was not an easy task for the young country. Between Conrad, laid the cornerstone on July 26, 1855. 1837 and 1852 there were five attempts to raise the On January 26, 1857, the Academy held the funds needed to build an Opera House within the Grand Ball and Promenade Concert of its opening. city limits of Philadelphia. After Commissioners were The first opera presented in the brand new opera appointed by an act of the General Assembly of the house was Verdi’s on February 25, 1857. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Charles Henry Gounod’s opera Faust had its American premiere Fisher began to sell stock in the Academy of Music here on November 18, 1863. On February 14, 1907, on May 24, 1852. On October 13, 1854, the land on Madama Butterfly premiered to “emphatic success” the southwest corner of Broad and Locust Streets was with its composer, Giacomo Puccini, in attendance. purchased. At that time, the area was undeveloped. (The Old State House, now known as Independence On May14,1897, John Philip Sousa’s composition Hall, was the heart of the city at that time.) “The Stars and Stripes Forever” was premiered on the Academy stage. On March 29 and April 5, 1900, Fritz Scheel conducted two serious concerts of professional musicians. These two concerts are considered the genesis of the Philadelphia . Today the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania call the Academy home. Numerous presidents have visited the Academy, including Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon. The Academy has had many world-famous performers on its stage: Peter Tchaikovsky, , Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky, Anna Pavlova, George Gershwin, , , , , , and thousands more The Academy was made a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1963. Since then, a few changes have been made to the structure. In 1996 the A wood engraving from the Academy Proscenium Box in 1857. “Twenty-First Century Project” began, which allowed Historic images of the Academy courtesy of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. for a new rigging system, replacement of the stage floor, and cleaning and restoration of the historic ceiling. With Mozart’s image looking down on the Academy’s audiences from his position above the stage for over one hundred years, let the joy of opera and dance continue forever. Opera Etiquette101 9

Attending the Opera There’s nothing quite as exciting as attending the opera in a beautiful theater like the Academy of Music! If this is your first time at the opera there are a few things for which you should prepare: You will be attending the final dress rehearsal for this opera. This is the last opportunity that the artists will have to rehearse the entire opera before opening night just a few nights away. The goal is to treat this rehearsal exactly like a performance and perform the entire opera straight through without a pause. You may notice in the center of the Parquet level, the floor level of the Academy, several computer monitors and a large table spread out over the seats. Seated in this area is the production team: Director, The Holland Homeschool is prepared for the Sounds of Learning™ Dress Rehearsal Assistant Director, Costume Designer, Lighting of La bohème. Designer, Set Designer, and other members of the production team. They’ll be taking notes and Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts so that everyone in communicating via headset with the myriad people the theater can enjoy the opera: backstage who help make all of the operatic magic happen: Stage Manager, Master Carpenter, lighting Please Do... technicians, Supertitle Operator, Stagehands and more. They’ll be able to give notes so changes can Applaud after the arias; you can shout “Bravo!” for the be instantly made. Should things go awry, they men and “Brava!” for the women. may stop and repeat a section to make sure that it Enter and exit the theater in an orderly fashion. is perfect. Please use the bathrooms before the rehearsal begins or at intermission. Opera Etiquette Be careful in the auditorium! Because the theatre is Because this is a working rehearsal, we ask 150 years old, it’s not necessarily designed for modern that you please refrain from talking. The produc- conveniences. tion team needs to concentrate on fine-tuning the Turn off your cell phones and all electronic devices. production. You can show them how much you appreciate their work and the opportunity to come Enjoy the rehearsal. You’ve worked too hard learning to the rehearsal at no charge by being as quiet as this not to! possible. Have you ever tried to study for a test and there’s just too much noise at home or outside? It’s Don’t Forget... almost impossible to concentrate! So, please refrain from talking out of respect for the cast, musicians, Food and beverages are not allowed inside the Academy and the entire production team. of Music. Photographs may not be taken during the performance. Please no talking during the performances. 10 Why I Like Opera

Opera is Not Just For Adults By Taylor Baggs, 12th grade Homeschool, Philadelphia, PA

I was in 7th grade when I first saw an opera with the Sounds of Learning™ program as part of my homeschooling curriculum. My Mom made me go! I thought it would be seriously boring for I had considered opera something only for adults and not for kids like me.

The first opera I saw was La Perichole. That opera was hilarious! I loved it! I remembered I actually want- ed to go to see it again! After that I decided that opera wasn’t that bad. Over the next years of homeschool- ing, I went to many operas with the Sounds of Learning™ program. My mom didn’t have to make me go any- more, I wanted to go. The operas were all different. There was drama, comedy, tragedy and romance. These are my favorites of the operas I’ve seen: Così Fan Tutte, Il trovatore, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, A Masked Ball, and The Barber of Seville.

The opera Il trovatore was my favorite for its live action. The opera A Masked Ball was also interesting. One of the surprises in that opera was the ending. The murder weapon ended up being not a knife, as was written in the student booklet, but a pistol! I remember everyone in the audience jumped when that was fired. The Barber of Seville was my second favorite comedy. I now like to listen to , something I used to hate. Being exposed to classical music at the opera gave me an appreciation for it.

I would say to other kids like me…give opera a try. It may sound boring at first, but they are awesome! Every opera I saw was entertaining. I know going to see the opera is something I will do even after I graduate from high school this year.

Taylor and his classmates pose for a picture outside the Academy of Music before Rossini’s Cinderella. Giuseppe Verdi: Hero of Italy 11

Giuseppe Verdi was born into the dangerous period of the Napoleonic Wars at Le Roncole near Giuseppe Verdi on October 10, 1813. His parents were Carlo Verdi and Luigia Uttini Verdi. Verdi’s love of music was evident from his earliest years. One of his greatest joys was listening to the old organ in the church just a few steps from his home. After begging his father for lessons, Verdi finally got his way in 1821 when his father bought him an old spinet. Verdi’s father hoped his son would become a country band leader so he arranged for him to study under the church organist. Four years later, at the age of twelve, young Verdi became the church organist when his teacher took another post. Carlo Verdi recognized his son’s gift and arranged for him to study in the nearby town of Busseto. His friend, Antonio Barezzi, who was a successful shopkeeper and amateur musician, agreed to put the young Verdi up in his home. It was in this town that Giuseppe Verdi returned to Milan and composed the met the director of the who put him to comic opera for which he had signed a contract prior work copying the orchestral parts for the scores of to his wife’s death. This opera was a complete failure Haydn and Rossini. due partly to the extreme grief with which Verdi Verdi advanced in his understanding of the struggled while composing it. Deeply depressed and classics quickly enough for the director of the school to finding it hard to concentrate on his work, Verdi was allow him to take the podium of the local orchestra. almost impoverished. He could only afford to eat one Barezzi was so impressed with Verdi’s gifts that he meal a day. One day, while leaving a tavern, he helped arrange for Verdi to receive a scholarship to bumped into , the opera house continue his studies in Milan. However, Verdi was now director who had supported Verdi’s earlier work. He over eighteen, and the judges did not care for his simple asked Verdi to compose another opera. From this country dress. As a result they refused to accept him accidental meeting, the great opera was born. into the school. The director of told him not The night the opera was premiered, March 9, 1842 in to give up and encouraged him to study under Maestro La Scala, the audience cheered Verdi, who still could Vincenzo Lavigna. Under his new teacher’s tutelage, not smile. Verdi studied the works of Mozart and Beethoven. Over the years, Verdi composed masterpiece At twenty-one, Verdi was attending a rehearsal after masterpiece. Some of his operas had a political of Haydn’s Creation when the conductor became ill. nature and the censors were always checking his Verdi was asked to continue. He sat at the piano and work. Verdi believed in republican ideals and thought played with one hand while with the of George Washington as his personal hero. His music other. The musicians were so impressed with his often contained political overtones. The song, “Va talent that he was given the responsibility to conduct Pensiero” (Go Thought) from Nabucco became the the performances before Milan’s society. This success revolutionary hymn of Italy. It still inspires us today. launched his career. Verdi always remembered and loved his simple On May 4, 1836, Verdi married his benefactor’s country heritage. He never forgot those less fortunate daughter, Margherita Barezzi. On November 17, 1839, than himself. He supported other struggling artists his first opera, , premiered at La Scala and was a financially, and upon his death willed all the royalties moderate success. The next few years, however, were of his operas to support a home in Milan for aged times of deep sadness. Verdi’s two children died before opera singers. This nursing home exists to this day. either reached the age of three, and then Margherita Verdi was more than an artist, he embodied the heart died in June 1840, a few months after the second child. and soul of Italy. 12 Verdi Timeline

1813 Born on October 10 in Le Roncole, a small village near Busseto, Italy, 1st son of Carlo and Luigia. 1821 His father buys him a broken-down spinet, initiating Verdi’s 1st musical studies. 1825 At 12 years old, Verdi becomes the village organist at Le Roncole. 1828 At a performance of The Barber of Seville in Busseto, Rossini’s was replaced by an opening composed by Verdi. 1832 Travels to Milan to attend the Conservatory but is not accepted. Begins to study independently with Maestro Vincenzo Lavigna. 1836 Verdi marries Margherita Barezzi, the daughter of his benefactor. 1839 Meets famous singer in Milan. Successful opening of Oberto at La Scala in November. 1840 Death of his wife, shortly after the death of his two small children. 1842 March 9, triumph of Nabucco at La Scala. 1843-51 Writes and produces thirteen operas, among them: I Lombardi alla prima Crociata, , and . 1848 Verdi acquires near Busseto the estate of Sant’Agata, a vast property rich in woods, vineyards and water, which from then on becomes his refuge and the place where he draws new inspiration and enjoys the quiet of nature. 1851 Verdi’s mother dies. 1851-62 He composes , Il trovatore, , , , A Masked Ball, and . 1859 Verdi marries Giuseppina Strepponi, his loving and competent companion, secretary and faithful advisor. 1861 Verdi elected to Parliament under the Liberal Party. 1863-71 During these years Verdi composes , and revises and reworks several of his previous works. 1867 In this year Verdi loses his father and his benefactor Barezzi. 1871 Triumphant debut of in , . 1873 Verdi composes Quartet for Strings. 1874 First performance of the mass, which many people consider the most beautiful religious music of its time. 1880 Composers “Pater noster” and “Ave Maria.” 1881 Reworks Simon Boccanegra with libretto revised by . 1887 Verdi’s masterpiece is premiered. 1893 Falstaff is presented in Milan. 1896 Deposits the funds to erect in Milan a rest home for those who had devoted their lives to music. He wills the royalties to all his operas to the Casa di Riposo, which to this day still welcomes aging singers and musicians. 1897 Verdi’s second wife, Giuseppina Strepponi, dies on November 14. 1898 Quatro Pezzi Sacri and are performed in Paris during Holy Week. 1901 After spending a pleasant Christmas with his dearest friends, Verdi dies in Milan, on January 27. Make Your Own Timeline 13

American Presidents Inventions ...... James Madison 1809-1817 Bicycle 1817-1825 ...... James Monroe 1816 ...... Karl von Sauberbronn (Ger.) 1825-1829 ...... John Q. Adams 1829-1837 ...... Andrew Jackson Camera 1822 ...... Joseph Niepce (Fr.) 1837-1841 ...... Martin Van Buren 1841 ...... William Harrison* Telegraph 1841-1845 ...... John Tyler 1837 ...... Samuel F. B. Morse (U.S.) 1845-1849 ...... James K. Polk Typewriter 1849-1850 ...... Zachary Taylor* 1867 ...... Christopher Sholes (U.S.) 1850-1853 ...... Millard Fillmore 1853-1857 ...... Franklin Pierce Telephone 1857-1861 ...... James Buchanan 1876 ...... Alexander Graham Bell (U.S.) 1861-1865 ...... Abraham Lincoln† Radio ...... Andrew Johnson 1865-1869 1895 ...... Guglielmo Marconi (It.) 1869-1877 ...... Ulysses S. Grant 1877-1881 ...... Rutherford Hayes Airplane ...... Wilbur and Orville Wright (U.S.) 1881 ...... James Garfield† 1903 1881-1885 ...... Chester Arthur 1885-1889 ...... Grover Cleveland Other Major Events ...... Benjamin Harrison 1889-1893 1824 ...... Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony ...... Grover Cleveland 1893-1897 1839-1842 ...... Opium War ...... William McKinley 1897-1901 1845 ...... Irish Potato Famine *Died in office 1848 ...... Year of revolutions in Europe †Assassinated in office 1849 ...... California’s Gold Rush begins 1861-1865 ...... American Civil War 1863 ...... Abolition of slavery by Lincoln European Leaders 1869 ...... U.S. transcontinental railroad 1804-1814 ...... Napolean (Fr.) completed 1825-1855 ...... Nicholas I (Russ.) 1898 ...... Spanish-American War 1830-1848 ...... Louis Philippe (Fr.) 1837-1901 ...... (Gr. Brit) 1848-1916 ...... Franz Josef (Aus./Hngry) Active Learning Cut apart three supermarket paper bags. Cut them open down one of the side seams and cut off the bottom so that Other Classical Composers when laid flat, you have a rectangular piece of paper. Tape the bags together at the shorter ends, creating a long rectangular ...... (Ger.) 1770-1827 piece of paper. From the longer side of the bag near the top, 1813-1883 ...... Richard Wagner (Ger.) measure in 10" and place a dot. Do the same near the bottom. 1833-1897 ...... (Ger.) Draw a straight line from the top to the bottom of the bag 1840-1893 ...... Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russ.) through both dots. From the information on this page, select the most important incidents for your timeline. With these facts, include some of the important dates in history listed above. You may also illustrate your timeline. Bard of Stratford 16 William Shakespeare

for fear of bad luck. To this day it is referred to as “the Scottish play.” Later, under the patronage of King James I of England, the group was given an indoor theater known as The Blackfriars. The group was then named “The King’s Men.” Shakespeare’s plays were very popular with the people of London. While it was not customary to pay much to a playwright for his work, Shakespeare was given a share of the profits from the sale of tickets. As a shareholder of the company, he became wealthy. He also took pleasure in acting in his creations. It is believed that he acted the roles of Adam in Much Ado about Nothing and the ghost of Hamlet’s father. His knowledge of stagecraft and the demands of act- ing gave him a great insight into the dynamics of successful drama. Although he wrote thirty-eight plays, we have Shakespeare was born in this half-timbered house in Stratford-upon-Avon. no manuscripts in his handwriting because he did British Travel Association not consider the writing of plays as literature. He William Shakespeare was born the third of would only publish them to correct errors in other eight children to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden editions of his works that were printed without his in 1564. His father was a merchant and a fine leather permission. In his day, the concept of copyright did glove maker. His mother was from a family of land not exist. Anyone could copy the work of another owners. As William grew, his father became an person and publish it for profit. Shakespeare author- alderman and later the mayor of their town, Stratford- ized the publishing of only half of his work known upon-Avon. William attended the local grammar school as “quarto” editions. For the remainder of his plays, where he studied the comedies of Plautus and Terence we depend upon his friends and colleagues for and the tragedies of Seneca in Latin. It was during this “folio” editions which were published several years time that his love of the theater was born. after his death. In 1582 William married Anne Hathaway, who Shakespeare’s poetry is also very highly was about eight years his senior. Together they had regarded. His sonnets are regarded as a very high three children: Susanna, 1583, and the twins form of poetry and his work in this area earned him the and Hamnet, 1585. While there was work for William epithet, “mellifluous and honey-tongued Shakespeare” in Stratford-upon-Avon as an actor, the call of London, in 1598. His classical epics, Venus and Adonis and the capital of his craft, led him to take his family to the city in 1588. By 1594 he had established himself as both a playwright and actor and was invited to join the company “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group of actors performed at The Globe Theater, located on the South Bank of the Thames River in Southwark. To attend their performances, theater goers had to take the ferry across the river or travel across the London Bridge. When The Globe Theater, which had a thatched roof, burned down during a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it became a tradition not to mention the name of the play backstage The witches wreak havoc in The Opera Company of Philadelphia’s 2003 production of Verdi’s Macbeth. Words, words, words: Shakespeare’s influence on the English Language 17 When Shakespeare’s Hamlet is asked what he is reading, he responds with the famous line “Words, words, words.” Even 400 years after his death, William Shakespeare’s writings leave their mark on culture even today. Considered the greatest writer in the English language, Shakespeare’s plays are filled with quotes, phrases and even words that are used in every day conversation. Listed below are some of the famous phrases and words that Shakespeare originated. Do you recognize any of these? As You Like It • Too much of a good thing Hamlet • Neither a borrower nor a lender be • The lady doth protest too much Henry IV, part 2 • Eaten me out of house and home Portrait of William Shakespeare, Bard of Stratford. • Dead as a doornail

The Rape of Lucrece are considered two of the finest Henry VIII pieces of writing in the English language. With his • For goodness sake success, he returned to Stratford-upon-Avon and Julius Caesar purchased one of the finest homes in town, New • It was Greek to me Place. Across the garden from his home, he had King John another home built for his daughter Susanna and her • Elbow room husband Dr. Hall. Whenever the plague would strike and the theaters were closed, he would return home Love's Labour's Lost to wait out the cycle of the disease. After writing The • The naked truth Tempest in 1610, he left London and retired to his Macbeth country home. Six years later, the venerable “Bard of • Knock, knock! Who’s there? Stratford” died and was given a hero’s funeral. • The be-all and the end-all So great were his plays that the field of opera • Sorry sight has hundreds of scores written to them. Berlioz wrote Much Ado About Nothing his Béatrice et Bénédict based upon Much Ado about • Done to death Nothing. Ralph Vaughn Williams’ opera, , was based upon The Merry Wives of Windsor. Verdi’s Otello and Macbeth were based upon • Neither here nor there Shakespeare’s plays of the same name and his Falstaff • Wear my heart on my sleeve was based upon both King Henry IV and The Merry Romeo and Juliet Wives of Windsor. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet • You kiss by the book has twenty-five operas based upon it, The Tempest The Merchant of Venice has forty-seven and A Midsummer Night’s Dream has • Love is blind forty-eight operas based upon it. Few authors can • My own flesh and blood claim to have affected the culture of the world more than William Shakespeare, the “Bard of Stratford.” The Merry Wives of Windsor • Laughing-stock • An eye-sore • Kill ... with kindness The Tempest • Into thin air All the World’s a Stage 18 The Globe Theater

There were three tiers, or levels, on which people sat, and standing room on the ground. Standing room was the cheapest ticket and you would stand right in front of the stage. People here, dubbed the groundlings, were loud and boisterous. They would talk back to the actors and eat and drink during the performance. It could be tough in this crowd, too, with pushing, shoving, fistfights, and even pick pockets! For the middle priced ticket, you’d get a seat in the gallery on one of the theater’s tiers. You’d sit on a bench, and you’d have some protection from the hot sun or rain from the theater’s thatched roof. If you were rich and could pay the most expensive price, you’d sit in the exclusive Gentleman’s Room. These private boxes gave you a private entrance into the theater, that way you would avoid contact with the general public. The boxes were located along the walls near the stage and allowed you to be seen by the Woodcut image of the Globe Theater circa 1612. audience, similar to the box seats on the sides of the The Theater was a very important part of life stage of the Academy of Music. in Shakespeare’s day. There was no XBOX and no Since the entire town would have seen a play Sony Playstation, no computers or mp3 players, no in a few days, a new one would have to be put on radios or televisions, and no phones at all during the pretty quickly so the theater could make money. Victorian . What did people do to pass the time? Acting companies couldn’t spend too much time Reading was important, if you had access to books. rehearsing and would need to have a new play ready Music would be performed at home, if you had in three to four days. access to a fortepiano and music lessons. The one form of entertainment that everybody could access Companies were known for their “star” actors was the theater. Everyone went to the theater, rich or who would play the romantic and heroic leads. In poor. It didn’t hurt that one of the biggest theater this time there were actors only - no actresses. All lovers was Queen . Supposedly it was she roles, male and female alike, were acted by men or who demanded a play devoted to the character boys. Boys got to play all of the young heroines like Falstaff. She loved the old knight in Shakespeare’s Juliette in Romeo and Juliette. In The Merry Wives of Henry IV, and insisted that the bard give her a com- Windsor boys, whose voices had not yet changed, edy which showed the fat old knight in love. would have played Alice, Nannetta, and Meg Page. For more comedic roles like Dame Quickly, most Many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed likely an older man who specialized in playing funny in The Globe Theater, built in 1598 in London. It was ladies would have played the part. three stories high, octagonal in shape, and 100 feet in diameter. The stage was a compact 43 feet wide by Each of the actors in the troupe would have 28 feet deep and five feet off the ground. The Globe, done certain types of roles – young men, comic like many theaters of it’s time, was an open-air theater parts, heroic parts, tragic parts – but each would that could fit 3,000 people – that’s more people than have had their “role” in a play. That made it easier can fit into the Academy of Music. There was no roof for the actors to fit into their role – especially since over the main portion of it so sunlight could come in they might have played more than one part. When and light up the stage. (Remember, Ben Franklin didn’t the actors received their script, it wasn’t the script of experiment with electricity with his kite until 1752.) the entire play, just their scenes. Performance would take place during the day and The Company would sit down before rehearsals most likely only during fair weather. The structure was began and the playwright would read the entire play capped by a turret with a flag from which a trumpeter to the actors – perhaps the only time the actors would announce that day’s performance. would have heard the full play. Because the Globe had no roof, the sound of The original Globe Theater burned to the ground the actor’s voices would escape out of the building, in 1613 when a cannon shot during a performance of not to mention the fact that audiences then could Henry VIII set the thatched roof on fire. A new Globe 19 be quite noisy – especially those on the floor. Actors was built on the same location before Shakespeare’s had to learn how to effectively project their voices. death. The Globe and other theaters were always They were forced to shout their lines, over enunciate, careful to make sure the authorities were happy as and overact so audiences understood what was they could be shut down for any reason from offensive going on. material, to threats to public safety – including the spread of the plague. The Globe was forced to close its Theaters like the Globe didn’t use sets like doors 1642, when the Puritans closed all entertainment you’ll see in the opera Falstaff. Instead the back wall venues as they were viewed as immoral. The Puritans of the theater had different doorways and balconies tore down the building in 1644 and built tenements that could be used for any situation. They might use at the location. a particular prop or piece of furniture that could be used only if it was absolutely necessary, like the The Globe’s foundations were rediscovered in laundry basket in which Falstaff is hidden, but you’d 1989, and plans to build a modern-day Globe Theater never see a complicated set like you see today. So were spearheaded by American actor . that audiences would know where each scene was Construction started in 1993 near the site of the original set, the playwright would use the first few lines of theater and was completed in 1996. Queen Elizabeth the new scene to comment on the surroundings or II officially opened the theater on June 12, 1997 with time of day. a production of . Every effort was made to reproduce the Globe as faithfully as possible. But as Costumes, too, were multi-functional. there are no existing blueprints or plans, the new Frequently a rich theater lover would donate their old theater was based upon sketches and written clothes to the theater company. The theater would descriptions of the original Globe. The modern Globe have a collection of clothes that they would use for seats 1,500 people between the galleries and the costumes for all of their plays. It would be possible groundlings. In its opening season, 210,000 spectators to see the same costume in several plays a year. saw productions at the theater.

Shakespeare at the Movies If Shakespeare were alive today, you can bet that he’d be one of the greatest writer/directors in Hollywood history. Hollywood has turned to his plays time and again for inspiration. Here’s a list a movies that you may have seen which are based on Shakespearean plays: Year Film Based on 1953 Kiss Me Kate ...... The Taming of the Shrew 1956 Forbidden Planet ...... The Tempest 1957 Throne of Blood ...... Hamlet 1961 Manchurian Candidate ...... Hamlet 1961 West Side Story ...... Romeo and Juliet 1965 Chimes at Midnight ...... The Merry Wives of Windsor 1983 Strange Brew ...... Hamlet 1985 Ran ...... 1991 My Own Private Idaho ...... Henry IV 1995 Green Eggs and Hamlet ...... Hamlet 1996 Romeo and Juliet ...... Romeo and Juliet 1999 10 Things I Hate About You ...... The Taming of the Shrew 2000 Romeo Must Die ...... Romeo and Juliet 2001 Macbeth: The Comedy ...... Macbeth 2001 My Kingdom ...... King Lear 2001 O ...... Othello 2001 Scotland, PA ...... Macbeth 2004 Manchurian Candidate ...... Hamlet 2006 She’s the Man ...... Twelfth Night Falstaff 20 Synopsis

Time: Reign of King Henry IV Place: Windsor, England Act I Scene 1 In a room in the Garter Inn, Sir Scene 2 In the garden outside of Ford’s is writing letters. Dr. Caius enters and house, Alice Ford and her daughter Nannetta meet complains of the various outrages that have been with Meg Page and Dame Quickly. Alice and Meg are committed against him by the knight and his followers, each bursting with the news of their letter from Pistola and Bardolfo. Falstaff laughs off these Falstaff. Upon comparing the letters they find them accusations and Dr. Caius out of the tavern. to be identical and the women decide he must be Finding they have no money to pay the bill, Falstaff taught a lesson (“Fulgida Alice! Amor t’offro”). blames his companions and announces a plan to Meanwhile, Ford meets with Dr. Caius, Bardolfo, repair his fortunes by having affairs with Alice Ford Pistola, and young Fenton, who is secretly in love and Meg Page, both of whom are married to wealthy with Nannetta. Bardolfo and Pistola have betrayed men (“V’è noto un tal”). He produces the two love their master and told Ford that Falstaff is pursuing letters and tells Pistola and Bardolfo to deliver one to his wife. Briefly alone, Fenton and Nannetta steal each woman, but the men refuse to assist in such a kisses but are interrupted when the women return, dishonorable enterprise. Falstaff sends the letters off plotting to send Dame Quickly to Falstaff to arrange with a page instead and then lectures the two men an assignation with Alice. Nannetta and Fenton are on the subject of honor (“L’onore! Ladri!”) before next interrupted by Ford, who is also plotting his chasing them out of the inn. revenge, and plans to be introduced to Falstaff as ‘Master Brook,’ so that he can keep an eye on him. The women return once more and, unaware of each other’s plans, all pledge to punish the knight. Act II Scene 1 Back at the Garter Inn, Falstaff accepts the feigned apologies of Bardolfo and Pistola. Dame Quickly arrives to tell the knight that both Alice and Meg return his affections. She says that Meg’s husband guards her too closely to ever leave her alone but that Alice will meet with him between two and three that afternoon when her husband is always out. Once the meeting is set, Dame Quickly leaves and Falstaff begins to preen himself in preparation for his rendezvous. Ford enters the inn and introduces himself to Falstaff as ‘Master Brook,’ a wealthy man who has fallen in love with Alice Ford but has been unable to woo her. He offers Falstaff money for his help in the matter, suggesting that if the knight can break down Alice’s resistance, he will be able to follow suit. Falstaff accepts the challenge, Ford and his men hear a lover’s kiss from behind the scrim in Act II Scene II from gleefully boasting that he himself has already set up the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s production of Falstaff. a tryst with the lady and excuses himself to get ready. Left alone, Ford can’t believe his wife’s betrayal and vows to avenge his honor (“È sogno? o realtà”). He regains his composure by the time Falstaff returns, and the two men leave together. 21

Scene 2 Back at Ford’s house, Dame Scene 2 That night in Windsor Forest, Quickly gives a detailed report of her meeting with Fenton sings of his love for Nannetta (“Dal labbro il Falstaff. Nannetta comes in and tearfully tells them canto”) but is interrupted by Alice, who gives him a that Ford has ordered her to marry old Dr. Caius. costume identical to the one that Ford has given When she says that she is in love with Fenton and Caius to wear. The rest of the group hastily dons their will marry no one but him, her mother promises to costumes and hides just as Falstaff arrives dressed as help her. The other women hide and Alice sits at her the Black Hunter. Alice greets him, but when they lute as Falstaff arrives. She listens to his advances hear noises, she quickly disappears, leaving him alone but keeps the knight at a safe distance. They are as a horde of spirits descends on him. Nannetta, who interrupted by Dame Quickly, who tells them that is disguised as Queen of the Fairies, calls to her Ford is on his way. Falstaff hides behind a screen just followers, who gather around the knight as he cowers as Ford enters with his followers, hoping to catch the on the ground (‘Sul fil d’un soffio etesio”). Begging knight seducing his wife. Finding nothing, the men for mercy, Falstaff finally recognizes Bardolfo leave to search the rest of the house. While Ford is through his disguise. The rest of the group unmasks searching the other rooms, the women hide Falstaff and Falstaff realizes that he has been played for a in a laundry basket, covering him with dirty linens. fool. The ladies reprove him for thinking that they Ford returns and, hearing the sound of kissing from would have accepted him as a lover and Ford reveals behind a screen, discovers Nannetta and Fenton. himself as Alice’s husband, not the lovelorn ‘Brook.’ More furious than ever, Ford rushes out to continue Ford takes Nannetta by the hand and announces her his search, while Alice orders the servants to dump betrothal to Caius. He does the same for a similarly the laundry basket out the window and into the disguised couple brought forward by Alice. He bids Thames River below. When Ford returns, Alice leads them all unmask and is shocked to find that Bardolfo him to the window just in time to see Falstaff has been dressed up in Nannetta’s clothes and is dumped into the muddy river. now therefore betrothed to Caius. The other couple Act III is, of course, Nannetta and Fenton in disguise. Ford has been duped too but he forgives them all, and Scene 1 Back at the inn, Falstaff broods Falstaff leads the group in declaring that the world is over his humiliation, but his spirits improve drasti- but a jest (“Tutto nel mondo è burla”). cally as he drinks his wine (“Mondo ladro”). Dame Quickly comes with a message from Alice, but Falstaff wants nothing more to do with her. She per- suades him that it was the servants’ fault that he ended up in the river and that Alice wants to meet with him again. Falstaff cannot resist the temptation and agrees to a midnight meeting in Windsor Park, where he is to come disguised as the ‘Black Huntsman,’ who is said to haunt the forest. The women plan the details of the midnight masquerade. Fenton and Caius participate in the plans as well, along with Ford, who is now convinced of his wife’s fidelity. Dame Quickly reappears to overhear Ford and Caius plotting to announce Nannetta’s marriage to the doctor that very night, and she vows to stop them. Meet the 22 Artists Falstaff Alice Roberto De Candia, baritone Christine Goerke, soprano

Figaro, The Barber of Seville (2005) Rosalinde, Die Fledermaus (2005)

Ford Dame Quickly , baritone Meredith Arwady,

Opera Company Debut Mrs. Ott, Susannah (2003) , Faust (2004)

Nanetta Fenton Evelyn Pollack, soprano Jesús Garcia,

Ernesto, Don Pasquale (2004) Opera Company Debut

Dr. Caius Bardolph Mark T. Pannucio, tenor Steven Cole, tenor

Giuseppe, La traviata (1997) Sportin’ Life, Porgy and Bess (2007) Peasant, La Fille Du Regiment (1998)

Pistol Director , Robert B. Driver

Trufaldino, Ariadne auf Naxos (2003) Aida (2005) Doctor Grenvil, La traviata (2003) Die Fledermaus (2005) Apparition Doctor, Macbeth (2003) A Masked Ball (2005) The Barber of Seville (2005) The Marriage of Figaro (2006) La bohème (2006) Conductor Corrado Rovaris

Aida (2005) Die Fledermaus (2005) A Masked Ball (2005) The Barber of Seville (2005) The Marriage of Figaro (2006) La bohème (2006) Cinderella (2006) Introducing Soprano Christine Goerke 23

It’s been an interesting road to the opera stage. hoped that it would be I never even thought of pursuing a career as a singer enough. I some how was when I was in high school. I started out wanting to able to get through it and Soprano teach high school band. I played the for years made lots of mistakes! I Christine Goerke and learned to play other woodwind instruments too. was able to laugh about Flute and saxophone were fun, but when I learned to it. That was the greatest play the , I thought that was a blast! I thing I learned very early didn’t really know I could sing until I was in college. on. We will always make mistakes and if we can’t laugh I had to take a placement test at the music school to about them and learn from them? What is the point? see if I could sight read music. That means just I came away from my education with so much looking at a piece of music and “singing” what’s on more than just my knowledge and understanding the page. You don’t have to sing it well, just get the of music. This is the way that any education or notes and note values right. It turned out that the career path should go. Learn everything that you school liked my singing more than my clarinet can. Soak it up like a sponge. I promise - you’ll never playing! I was very confused by this, but then realized know when you can use the information that you’ve that I didn’t have to carry around an instrument in a learned, and when it will make you more valuable at case, and could just sing instead... so - I guess you your job! could say I’m a singer because I was lazy! I really love what I do, but being away from Actually, I laugh sometimes when people say my friends and family when I have to travel far from that they think that singing is something that you home is toughest part of the job. So, when I’m home, just get up and do, and that’s that. Singing is really I really make the time count. My husband Jim used hard work! Education plays a very big part in it, too, to be a chef - he’s incredible in the kitchen, and I’m but education is important in any choice of career, a very lucky lady... but we love two things: pizza not only music. We singers all train for years. Not night and BBQ night. There is a place near our house just learning how to sing, but learning about different called “Cubby’s BBQ”. The most amazing ribs! We kinds of music, different composers, and what was also really have an addiction to miniature golf. I going on in the world historically when pieces were know that probably sounds stupid but it’s so much written. This makes a difference when you’re trying fun! I love watching Family Guy - it cracks me up, to become a character in a different time period. and I’ve been hooked on Days of our Lives every We study movement, acting, and I even studied since my Mom got me started watching it when I was Oceanography and Statistics too! Then there are the 10 years old! many languages we have to learn and study in order to be able to sing in them. Despite all the hard work, it’s so much fun to be able to sing. Singing is fun wherever you do it: in Falstaff is by Giuseppe Verdi. It was written the bathtub, in the car, on stage, in school - you name in Italian and was first performed in Milan, Italy it. I’m very lucky because I get to make a living doing in February 1893. I had to study Italian, and learn what I love, and having fun too! Plus, I love seeing Italian diction when I was in college. Diction is just a and feeling the audience enjoying themselves. When schmancy word for pronouncing a language correctly people sit in an audience to watch a show, and they when you sing in it. I started to study different get involved with what is on stage? The performers languages in college. I’m not fluent in all of them, can “Feel” that involvement. When I know that the but I can speak enough Italian, German, and French audience is being moved by what I’m doing? It’s the to get by - and I can understand what I’m saying best reward I could ask for. when I sing in all of them now. But it took time, like anything that you learn for the first time! I hope you enjoy Falstaff! Christine The first time I had to sing an opera in a language other than English I was scared to death. I To learn more about Christine, check out her webpage was in college and didn’t know Italian very well yet. at www.christinegoerke.com, and send her a mes- I translated everything on the top of the page and sage! Falstaff 24 Libretto

Final Dress Rehearsal - Monday, April 30, 2007 at 6:15 p.m. at the Academy of Music Libretto, Courtesy of EMI Records ©

Cast of Characters

Sir John Falstaff ...... Roberto De Candia, baritone Ford, a young burgher ...... Mark Stone, baritone Mistress Alice Ford, his wife ...... Christine Goerke, soprano Nanetta, her daughter ...... Evelyn Pollack, soprano Dame Quickly ...... Meredith Arwardy, contralto Mistress Page ...... Elizabeth de Shong, mezzo-soprano Fenton, a young gentleman ...... Jesus Garcia, tenor Dr. Caius, a physician ...... Mark T. Panuccio, tenor Bardolph, follower of Falstaff ...... Steven Cole, tenor Pistol ...... Matthew Rose, bass Burghers and street folk, Ford’s servants, maskers, as elves, fairies, witches, etc. Corrado Rovaris, Conductor Robert B. Driver, Director Richard St. Clair, Costume Designer Paul Shortt, Scenic Designer

Act I, Part One CAIUS Sir John Falstaff! The hall of the Garter Inn. A table. An armchair. A bench. On the table, the BARDOLPH (to the Doctor) leftovers of a dinner, several bottles and a glass. Oh, what’s come over you? An inkwell, pens, paper, a burning candle. A broom upright against the wall. To the rear, a door, CAIUS (shouting and approaching Falstaff) another to the left. (Falstaff is melting the wax for You beat my servants!... two letters in the candle flame. He seals the letters with his ring, then blows out the candle, lies back FALSTAFF (to the innkeeper) comfortably in the armchair and beings to drink.) Host! Another bottle of sherry! CAIUS (shouting menacingly as he enters) CAIUS Falstaff! You broke down my bay mare, you violated my house. FALSTAFF (paying no attention to Dr Caius, calls the FALSTAFF innkeeper, who comes towards him) But not your housekeeper. Ho, there! CAIUS Oh, thank you! A blear-eyed old hag. Ample Sir, BARDOLPH (with decorum) were you twenty times Sir John Falstaff, Knight, I Not I. 25 should force you to answer me. CAIUS FALSTAFF Who, then? This is my answer: I did everything you say. FALSTAFF (calling) CAIUS Pistol! And so? PISTOL (advancing) FALSTAFF Sir! I did it purposely. FALSTAFF CAIUS (phlegmatically, still seated in the armchair) I shall appeal to the King’s Council. Did you empty this gentleman’s pockets?

FALSTAFF CAIUS (springing at Pistol) And God be with you. My counsel is this: be quiet Of course it was he. Look – he’s about to deny or you’ll make an ass of yourself. it, the lying scoundrel! (emptying a pocket of his jacket) Here I had two shillings of King Edward’s CAIUS (still raging, but now at Bardolph) realm, and six half-crowns. There’s not a sign of I haven’t finished! them now.

FALSTAFF PISTOL Oh, the devil! (to Falstaff, as he gravely brandishes the broom) Sir, I ask leave to fight him with this wooden CAIUS weapon. (to the Doctor) You lie! Bardolph! CAIUS BARDOLPH Clodhopper! You’re speaking to a gentleman! Doctor! PISTOL CAIUS Simpleton! Last night you got me drunk. CAIUS BARDOLPH Beggar! Too bad! What a pain! (letting the Doctor feel his pulse) I am ill. Make me a prognostic. My gut is PISTOL ruined. Cursed by hosts who chalk their wine! Beast! You see this meteor? (pointing to his nose) CAIUS CAIUS Dog! I do. PISTOL BARDOLPH Coward! It goes to bed ablaze like this each night. CAIUS CAIUS (exploding) Scarecrow! Prognostic be damned! You made me drink, you rascal, with him... (indicating Pistol) ...talking PISTOL nonsense. Then, when I was drunk, you emptied Gnome! my pockets. CAIUS FALSTAFF 26 Mandrake spawn! Six chickens: six shillings. Thirty bottles of sherry: two pounds. Three turkeys... (to Bardolph, PISTOL throwing him his purse) Look in my purse. Two Who? pheasants. An anchovy...

CAIUS BARDOLPH You. (takes the money from the purse and counts it out on the table) One mark – one mark – one penny. PISTOL Say it again! FALSTAFF Search! CAIUS Yes! BARDOLPH I have! PISTOL By thunder! FALSTAFF Search! FALSTAFF Eh, Pistol! Don’t go off here! (At Falstaff’s order, BARDOLPH Pistol restrains himself. Falstaff calls Bardolph, who (tossing the purse onto the table) comes forward.) Bardolph! Now, who emptied this There’s not a penny more. gentleman’s pockets? FALSTAFF (rising) CAIUS You’re my ruin! Each week I spend ten guineas! It was one of them! Drunkard! True, as we go from tavern to tavern at night, your blazing nose serves well as a lantern. BARDOLPH (serenely pointing to Dr Caius) But what I save in oil, you drink in wine. I’ve He drinks; then, having drunk too much, he loses been watering that purple mushroom for thirty his senses. Later he comes up with some wild tale years! You cost too much. (to Pistol) And you too. he’s dreamed while asleep under the table. Host! Another bottle! You make me lose weight! If Falstaff thins, he’s not himself, no one will love FALSTAFF (to Dr. Caius) him; in this paunch a thousand tongues cry out You hear? If only you think, you’ll find the truth. my name! The charge is refuted. Go now in peace. PISTOL CAIUS Immense Falstaff! If ever I get drunk again at the inn, I swear it will be only with honest, sober, civil, pious folk. BARDOLPH (imitating) (He goes out.) Enormous Falstaff!

BARDOLPH, PISTOL FALSTAFF Amen. (looking at his belly and patting it) This is my kingdom. I must increase it. FALSTAFF Enough of this antiphon. You are out of time. This BARDOLPH is the basic rule of art: steal deftly and at the right Enormous Falstaff! time. You are clumsy artists. PISTOL BARDOLPH, PISTOL Immense Falstaff! A... FALSTAFF FALSTAFF (continuing Bardolph’s joke) But now we must sharpen our wits. And paragraph. There is still another... 27

BARDOLPH, PISTOL BARDOLPH, then PISTOL Let’s sharpen away. Another?!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Do you know a fellow here in town named Ford? ...named Margaret.

BARDOLPH PISTOL Yes. They call her Meg.

PISTOL FALSTAFF Yes. She too is taken with my charms. She too holds the keys to the coffer. These two shall be my FALSTAFF Golconda, my Gold Coast! Look at me. I’m still He’s a rich townsman... enjoying a pleasant Indian summer. Take these two fiery letters. (He gives Bardolph one of the PISTOL letters from the table.) Take this to Meg; let us test More generous than . her virtue. Your nose flames with zeal. (He gives Pistol the other letter.) And you, take this to Alice. BARDOLPH A lord! PISTOL (with dignity, refusing) I carry a sword. I am no Pandarus. I refuse. FALSTAFF His wife is beautiful. FALSTAFF (disdainful, calm) Charlatan! PISTOL And she holds the purse-strings. BARDOLPH (coming forward and tossing on the FALSTAFF table) Sir John, I cannot serve you in this plot. That’s the one! Oh love! Starry eyes! A swan’s It is forbidden by... neck! Her lips? A flower! A laughing flower. Her name is Alice. One day as I passed by in her FALSTAFF (interrupting) neighborhood, she smiled. Love’s fire flamed in By whom? my heart. The goddess shone a burning-glass on me, on me, on my lusty flanks, my broad chest, BARDOLPH my manly foot, my sturdy, upright, mighty frame! My honor. Desire blazed within her as I passed, as if she would say: I am Sir John Falstaff’s! FALSTAFF (catching sight of the page Robin coming in) Eh, BARDOLPH page! (immediately thereafter, to Bardolph and Full stop. Pistol) Go hang, but no more on me. (to the page, who then runs out with the letters) Take these letters, for two ladies, carry them immediately – go, run along! (returning to Bardolph and Pistol) This section is Track 1 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 28 L’onore! Honor! Ladri. voi state ligi all’onor vostro, voi! Thieves! You are faithful to your honor, you Cloache d’ignominia, quando non sempre noi sewers of infamy, when not always can even we possiam star ligi al nostro. Io stesso, sì, io, io, keep faith with ours. Yes, even I myself, devo talor da un lato porre il timor di Dio must sometimes lay aside the fear of God e, per necessità, sviar l’onore, usare and, of necessity, outwit my honor with some stratagemmi ed equivoci, destreggiar, stratagem, some ambiguity, the better to tack bordeggiare. with deftness; E voi, coi vostri cenci e coll’occhiata torta and you, in your rags, with your crooked da gattopardo e i fetidi sghignazzi, leopard’s eye, your foetid laughter, avete a scorta il vostro Onor! keep company with Honor! Che onore!? Che onor? What honor? What honor indeed? Che onor! che ciancia! Che baia! Such chatter! What a joke! Può l’onore riempirvi la pancia? No. Can honor fill your belly? No. Può l’onor rimettervi uno stinco? Can honor set a broken shin? Non può. It cannot. Né un piede? No. Né un dito? Or mend a foot? No. Or a finger? No. Né un capello? No. No. Or a hair? No. L’onor non è chirurgo. Honor is not a surgeon. Ch’è dunque? Una parola. What is it, then? A word. Che c’è in questa parola? What’s in this word? C’è dell’ che vola. Air, which flies away. Bel costrutto! A fine concept! L’onore lo può sentir chi è morto? No. Does a dead man know honor? No. Vive sol coi vivi? Does it live, then, only with the living? Neppure: perché a torto lo gonfian le lusinghe, Not even, for it puffs up at flattery, lo corrompe l’orgoglio, pride corrupts it, l’ammorban le calunnie; slander softens it. e per me non ne voglio! For me, I’ll have no part of it! No, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no! Ma, per tornare a voi, furfanti, But to get back to you two bandits. ho atteso troppo, e vi discaccio. I’ve been patient too long, and now I throw you out. (Prende in mano la scopa e insegue Bardolfo e (He takes the broom and chases Bardolph and Pistola che scansano i colpi correndo qua e là e Pistol about the hall. They escape his blows by riparandosi dietro la tavola.) running about, seeking shelter behind the table.) Olà! Lesti! lesti! al galoppo! Ho, there! Quick, quick! At the gallop! Al galoppo! Il capestro assai bene vi sta. At the gallop! The halter fits you well. Lesti! lesti! al galoppo! ladri! ladri! Out, get out of here! Thieves! Thieves! Via! via di qua! via di qua! Out of here! (Bardolfo e Pistola fuggono, non senza essersi (Bardolph and Pistol escape – but not before buscato qualche colpo di granata, e Falstaff li several blows of the broom strike home as Falstaff insegue.) chases them.) This section is Track 2 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 29 Seconda Parte Part Two Giardino. A sinistra la casa di Ford. Gruppi di alberi A garden. To the left, Ford’s house. Clusters of trees nel centro della scena. at centre-stage.

(Meg entra con . S’avviano verso (Meg enters with Mistress Quickly. They advance la casa di Ford, e sulla soglia s’imbattono in Alice towards Ford’s house. They meet Alice and e Nannetta che stanno per escire.) Nannetta, coming out, as they near the door.)

MEG (salutando) MEG (greeting Alice) Alice! Alice!

ALICE (salutando) ALICE (greeting Meg) Meg! Meg!

MEG MEG Nannetta! Nannetta!

ALICE (a Meg) ALICE (to Meg) Escivo appunto per ridere con te. I was coming to have a good laugh with you. (a Quickly) Buon dì, comare. (to Quickly) Good day!

QUICKLY QUICKLY Dio vi doni allegria. (accarezzando la guancia di God grant you joy. (caressing Nannetta’s cheek) Nannetta) Botton di rosa! Rosebud!

ALICE (ancora a Meg) ALICE (to Meg) Giungi in buon punto. M’accade un fatto da You’ve come just at the right time. trasecolar. I’ve something here that will amaze you.

MEG MEG Anche a me. So have I.

QUICKLY (avvicinandosi con curiosità) QUICKLY (approaching with curiosity) Che? What?

NANNETTA (avvicinandosi) NANNETTA (coming nearer) Che cosa? What is it?

ALICE (a Meg) ALICE (to Meg) Narra il tuo caso. Tell me your story.

MEG MEG Narra il tuo. No – tell me yours.

NANNETTA, QUICKLY NANNETTA, QUICKLY Narra! narra! Tell me, tell me!

ALICE ALICE Promessa di non ciarlar. Promise not to breathe a word. MEG MEG Ti pare?! Of course not! 30 QUICKLY QUICKLY Oibò! Vi pare?! I should say not!

ALICE ALICE Dunque: se m’acconciassi a entrar nei rei propositi Well, if I were willing to heed the devil’s coaxing, del diavolo, sarei promossa al grado di Cavalleressa! I could be promoted to the rank of Milady!

MEG MEG Anch’io. I too.

ALICE ALICE Motteggi. You’re making fun of me.

MEG MEG (cerca in tasca. Estrae una lettera.) (takes a letter from her pocket) Non più parole. Ché qui sciupiamo la luce del sole. Enough chatter – we’re wasting time. I’ve a letter Ho una lettera. here.

ALICE (cerca in tasca) ALICE (searching in her pocket) Anch’io. So have I.

NANNETTA, QUICKLY NANNETTA, QUICKLY Oh!! Oh!

ALICE ALICE Leggi. (Le due donne scambiano lettere.) Read this. (The two women exchange their letters.)

MEG MEG Leggi. (leggendo la lettera di Alice) Read this. (reading Alice’s letter aloud) “Fulgida Alice! amor t’offro...” Ma come?! Che “Shining Alice! I offer love...” What’s this? What does cosa dice? Salvo che il nome la frase è uguale. it say? Except for the name, the words are identical.

ALICE (leggendo la lettera di Meg) ALICE (reads the other letter) “Fulgida Meg! amor t’offro...” “Shining Meg! I offer love.”

MEG MEG “...amor bramo.” “...love I desire.”

ALICE ALICE Qua Meg, là Alice. Here Meg, there Alice.

MEG MEG È tal e quale. “Non domandar perché ma dimmi...” Everything else is the same. “Ask not why, but tell me only...”

ALICE ALICE “...t’amo.” Pur non gli offersi cagion. “...I love you.” And yet I gave him no reason. MEG MEG Il nostro caso è pur strano. (Tutte sono in un This is a strange matter. (The women all crowd gruppo addosso alle lettere, confrontandole e around, curious to compare the letters.) 31 maneggiandole con curiosità.)

QUICKLY QUICKLY Guardiam con flemma. Let’s examine them with calm.

QUICKLY QUICKLY La stessa mano. The same handwriting.

NANNETTA NANNETTA Lo stesso stemma. The same crest.

ALICE, MEG ALICE, MEG (leggendo insieme ciascuno sulla propria lettera) (in concert, each reading her own) “Sei la gaia comare, il compar gaio son io, e fra noi “You are the merry wife, the merry man am I; due facciamo il paio.” between us, what a splendid pair we make.”

ALICE ALICE Già. Indeed!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Lui, lei, te. He, she, you.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Un paio in tre. A triple pair.

ALICE ALICE “Facciamo il paio in un amor ridente di donna bella “Let us join in a blithesome love, a beautiful e d’uom...” woman, a man...”

TUTTE ALL “...appariscente...” “...handsome man...”

ALICE ALICE “...e il viso tuo su me risplenderà come una stella, “...Your face will shine upon me like a star over the sull’immensità...” bottomless deep...”

TUTTE (ridendo) ALL (laughing) Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

ALICE ALICE “Rispondi al tuo scudiere, “Reply to your obedient servant, John Falstaff Cavaliere.” John Falstaff, Knight.” This section is just the English translation. 32 QUICKLY QUICKLY Monster! The stormy sea has cast up on the shore, on the beach of Windsor a voracious whale. But here MEG, NANNETTA, ALICE there’s no place for him to fatten; he’s already Monster! beaten by the tongues of all three – three tongues which are merrier than castanets clicking, which ALICE can gossip far faster than the warbling of birds. May We must play a trick on him. the mirth be eternal of all this fine chattering, the brisk chattering of Windsor’s gay wives. (They walk NANNETTA off. Dr Caius, Fenton, Bardolph and Pistol enter. All And cause a scandal. are speaking to Ford at the same time, softly.)

ALICE CAIUS (to Ford) And make a fool of him. He’s a rascal, a trickster and a thief, a Turk, a vandal, a sneak. The other day he wrecked my NANNETTA house – a scandal. If I call him into Court he’ll Oh! Oh! What fun! pay for this nonsense, but the fate he deserves is to end up with the devil. Those two there beside QUICKLY you are men from his tribe, and neither’s a saint What sport! nor a flower of virtue.

MEG BARDOLPH (to Ford) What sweet revenge! Falstaff, yes, I repeat, I swear, (Heaven enlightens you through my mouth) – John Falstaff has in mind ALICE a filthy plot against you. I am a man of arms and That winebag! That winevat! That king of paunches, I cannot suffer to see the villain muddy you. I’m not still prattling like a handsome youth. His greasy one to forget his honor, not even for a kingdom! hide is dripping with oil, yet he still carries on Mister Ford, a man who is warned is only half with verses and jingles! Let him go on with this saved. It’s up to you to devise a trick to defeat the easy chatter; he’ll end like the pipers who came trick he would play on you. down from the hills. You’ll see – if I play with this fine fat fellow I’ll make him spin faster than he’d FENTON (to Ford) turn in a reel. If you wish, sir, I am willing to bring him to his senses one way or another and to give him his just MEG deserts. Frankly, I like the idea (it would be a merry The man is a cannon – if he explodes, we’re done sport) of breaking through that hyperbolic-apoplectic for. If he were to hug her, he’d crush even Juno. paunch. With sharp words or with a sword, if You’ll see – if you but wink at him, he’ll jump at I meet him face to face, either he’ll walk the the bait; he’ll go mad in his eagerness to run into chalkline or I’ll pack him off to hell. the trap. Ah, what power in the fragile smile of a woman! What wisdom in the deft swirl of a skirt! PISTOL (to Ford) When he’s once caught in the pitch we’ll hear him Sir John Falstaff is preparing dangerous business for squeal. We’ll see this hot of his go up you, Mister Ford. Even now, something’s hanging in smoke. straight up and down above your head. Mister Ford, I’ve been in the service of the man of ample skin: NANNETTA but I’ve repented and given it up for reasons of If you’re plotting a prank, I, too, want a part. We health. Now you know what threatens you, and must bring it off smartly, with skill, so he can’t see you know your rascal, too. Watch out, watch out, the trap as he slips. He’s already mistaken a firefly watch out – here there’s a question of honor. for a lantern. I have no doubt but what our plan will succeed. We must offer the bait to catch him quick. If we use some skill along with our chattering, the beast will sweat plenty before we’ve done. FORD The buzz of bees, the whine of wasps, the crash FORD of thunder – these are all I hear. My brain reels in An ugly word! 33 drunken terror. What’s building up around me is the whisper of conspiracy. Four speak, one listens – CAIUS which shall have my ear? If you talk one at a time, The Knight has voracious appetites. perhaps I’ll understand. (to Pistol) Tell me once more. FORD I shall watch my wife, and I shall watch the PISTOL (to Ford) gentleman too. (The four women return.) I shall To make it brief: the mighty Falstaff has decided to protect my home from the lusts of others. enter your house, pinch your wife, break open your coffer and smash your bed. FENTON (as he sees Nannetta, to himself) It’s she! CAIUS Ye gods! NANNETTA (as she sees Fenton, to herself) It’s he! FORD What troubles I have! FORD (as he sees Alice, to himself) It’s she! BARDOLPH (to Ford) He’s already written her a letter... ALICE (as she sees Ford, to herself) It’s he! PISTOL But I refused to carry the filthy thing. CAIUS (to Ford, pointing to Alice) It’s she! BARDOLPH I, too, refused. MEG (to Alice, pointing at Ford) It’s he! PISTOL Take care! ALICE (in a low voice, to the other women) If he knew! BARDOLPH Take care! NANNETTA Oh! PISTOL Falstaff ogles them all, whether they are ugly or ALICE beautiful, both maidens and wives. Let’s avoid him. (The men, except Fenton, leave.) BARDOLPH, then PISTOL All of them! All of them! MEG Is Ford a jealous man? BARDOLPH The crown which adorned the brow of Acteon is ALICE sprouting on your head. Very.

FORD QUICKLY Which is to say? Be quiet!

BARDOLPH ALICE Horns. Let’s be careful! (The women, except Nannetta, leave.) This section is Track 3 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 34 FENTON FENTON Pst, pst, Nannetta. Pst, pst, Nannetta!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Ssss. Sh-h-h!

FENTON FENTON Vien qua. Come here.

NANNETTA NANNETTA Taci. Che vuoi? Be quiet. What do you want?

FENTON FENTON Due baci. Two kisses.

NANNETTA, poi FENTON NANNETTA, then FENTON In fretta. Quickly, then. (Si baciano rapidamente.) (They kiss hastily.)

NANNETTA NANNETTA Labbra di foco! Lips like fire!

FENTON FENTON Labbra di fiore! Lips like flowers!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Che il vago gioco sanno d’amore. Which know the pretty game of love.

FENTON FENTON Che spargon ciarle, che mostran perle, belle a Which speak nonsense, revealing pearls, pretty to vederle, dolci a baciarle! (Tenta di abbracciarla.) look at, sweet to kiss! (He tries to embrace her.) Labbra leggiadre! Happy lips!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Man malandrine! Naughty hands!

FENTON FENTON Ciglia assassine! Pupille ladre! T’amo! Naughtier eyes! They’ve stolen my heart! I love you!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Imprudente. (Fenton fa per baciarla ancora.) Be careful. (Fenton tries to kiss her again.) No. No.

FENTON FENTON Sì...Due baci. Yes...just one more kiss.

NANNETTA (svincolandosi) NANNETTA (freeing herself) Basta. That’s all now.

FENTON FENTON Mi piaci tanto! I want you so much! NANNETTA Vien gente. (S’allontanano; le donne rientrano; NANNETTA Fenton nasconde dietro gli alberi.) Someone’s coming. (They separate; the women 35 return; Fenton hides behind a bush.) FENTON Bocca baciata non perde ventura. FENTON Lips which are kissed lose none of their charm. NANNETTA (avvicinandosi alle altre donne) Anzi rinnova come fa la luna, come fa la luna. NANNETTA (as she joins the others) But enter a new phase, like the moon. ALICE Falstaff m’ha canzonata. ALICE Falstaff’s tried to make a fool of me. MEG Merita un gran castigo. MEG He deserves punishment. ALICE Se gli scrivessi un rigo? ALICE If I were to write him a line? NANNETTA Val meglio un’ambasciata. NANNETTA A visit would be better. ALICE poi NANNETTA poi QUICKLY Sì. ALICE, then NANNETTA, then QUICKLY Yes. ALICE (a Quickly) Da quel brigante tu andrai. Lo adeschi all’offa d’un ALICE (to Quickly) ritrovo galante con me. You shall go to the rascal’s house. Bait him with the promise of a love-tryst with me. QUICKLY Questa è gaglioffa! QUICKLY This is rich! NANNETTA Che bella burla! NANNETTA What a joke! ALICE Prima, per attirarlo a noi lo lusinghiamo... ALICE First, to bring him round, we’ll flatter him, then... NANNETTA E poi?... NANNETTA And then? ALICE ...e poi gliele cantiamo in rima. ALICE ...then we’ll give him his just deserts. QUICKLY Non merita riguardo. QUICKLY He deserves no mercy. ALICE È un bove. ALICE He’s a bull. MEG È un uomo senza fede. MEG He’s a faithless wretch. ALICE È un monte di lardo. ALICE 36 He’s a mountain of fat. MEG Non merita clemenza. MEG He deserves no mercy. ALICE È un ghiotton che scialacqua tutto il suo aver nel ALICE cuoco. He’s a glutton, who wastes his fortune on his cook.

NANNETTA Lo tufferem nell’acqua. NANNETTA We’ll douse him in the river. ALICE Lo arrostiremo al fuoco. ALICE We’ll roast him in the fire. NANNETTA Che gioia! NANNETTA Oh joy! ALICE Che allegria! ALICE What sport! MEG e QUICKLY, poi ALICE e NANNETTA Che gioia! MEG, QUICKLY, then ALICE, NANNETTA Oh joy! MEG Procaccia di far bene la tua parte. MEG Be sure to play your part well. QUICKLY Chi viene? QUICKLY Who’s there? MEG Là c’è qualcun che spia. MEG (Escono rapidamente Alice, Meg e Quickly. There’s someone spying on us. Nannetta resta e Fenton le torna accanto.) (Alice, Meg and Quickly hurry away. Nannetta stays behind and Fenton comes to join her.) FENTON Torno all’assalto. FENTON I return to the assault. NANNETTA Torno alla gara. Ferisci! NANNETTA I return to the joust. Strike! FENTON Para! (Si slancia per baciarla; Nannetta si ripara FENTON il viso con una mano che Fenton bacia e vorrebbe Parry! (He tries to kiss her, but Nannetta covers her ribaciare; ma Nannetta la solleva più alto che puòe face with her hand, which Fenton kisses. As he Fenton ritenta invano di raggiungerla colle labbra.) tries to kiss her hand again, she raises it higher and higher so that Fenton cannot reach it with his lips.) NANNETTA La mira è in alto. L’amor è un agile torneo, sua NANNETTA corte vuol che il più fragile vinca il più forte. The target is high. Love is a nimble joust, whose Court decrees that the weak shall conquer the strong. FENTON M’armo, ti guardo. T’aspetto al varco. FENTON I am armed, I watch you, I await you at the pass. 37 NANNETTA Il labbro è l’arco. NANNETTA Lips are the bow. FENTON E il bacio è il dardo. Bada! la freccia fatal già FENTON scocca dalla mia bocca sulla tua treccia. The kiss is the arrow. Beware! The fatal dart now (annodandogli il collo colla treccia, mentre labacia.) flies from my lips to your hair. (winding her hair about his neck, as he kisses her) NANNETTA Eccoti avvinto. NANNETTA Now I have conquered you. FENTON Chiedo la vita! FENTON I beg for my life! NANNETTA Io son ferita...ma tu sei vinto. NANNETTA I may be wounded, but you are vanquished. FENTON Pietà! Pietà! Facciamo la pace e poi... FENTON I beg for mercy! Let’s make our peace, and then... NANNETTA E poi? NANNETTA And then? FENTON Se vuoi, ricominciamo. FENTON If you wish, we shall begin all over again. NANNETTA Bello è quel gioco che dura poco. Basta. NANNETTA A pleasant game is quickly done. Enough! FENTON Amor mio! FENTON My darling! NANNETTA Vien gente. Addio! NANNETTA (Fugge.) Someone’s coming. Goodbye! (She runs out.) FENTON Bocca baciata non perde ventura. FENTON Lips that are kissed lose none of their charm. NANNETTA (da lontano, rispondendo) Anzi rinnova come fa la luna. NANNETTA (answering, in the distance) But enter a new phase, like the moon. This section is just the English translation. 38 (Ford, Caius, Bardolph and Pistol enter; Fenton PISTOL (to Ford) joins them.) Keep his cup full, never leave it empty, while you question your man. Perhaps then you will succeed BARDOLPH (to Ford) in unraveling this tangled knot. As the willow bends You will see what proud and overbearing eloquence to the river, so Sir John to a glass of wine. This way he uses. you’ll discover his plans and he’ll betray his thoughts. FORD Where did you say he lives? BARDOLPH (to Ford) Mister Ford, in you is personified a matrimonial PISTOL misfortune. If you aren’t wise as well as cautious, At the Garter Inn. Sir John will surely betray you. This fleshly full-moon, empurpled by wine, would find your FORD innocence too delicious to resist. You shall announce me under a false name. Later, you’ll see how I’ll catch him. But – not a word! ALICE (to Meg) You shall see – if I play with this fine fat fellow, I’ll BARDOLPH spin him faster than he’d spin in a reel. I’m not a chatterbox. My name is Bardolph. MEG (to Alice) PISTOL Once he’s caught in the pitch we’ll hear him squeal. My name is Pistol. We’ll see this hot passion of his go up in smoke.

FORD NANNETTA (to Alice) Then we all agree. If we use some skill along with our chattering, the beast will sweat streams before we are through. BARDOLPH Your secret will be kept. QUICKLY May the mirth be eternal of all this fine chattering, PISTOL the brisk chattering of Windsor’s merry wives. I’m deaf and dumb. FENTON (to himself) FORD Over here the men are muttering, the air is filled with Then we’re all agreed. mystery. Over there the wives are chattering in some deep conspiracy. But she whose name, o Love, thou BARDOLPH, PISTOL speakest in my heart, must soon be mine! We shall Yes. be like two twin stars, which shine in a single gleam.

FORD FORD (to Pistol) Your hand on it. You will see how well I work in my dealings with (Alice, Nannetta, Meg and Quickly enter.) this villain. The game is worth the candle if only I find out his plans. If I can avoid this shame, our CAIUS (to Ford) work won’t have been in vain. If I draw him into Your barbaric diagnosis is perhaps worse than the trap, the snake will bite the rascal. the disease. Although it’s not pleasant to taste, (Ford, Caius, Fenton, Bardolph and Pistol leave.) you ought to try the truth. Just as with the acid flavor of juniper and rhubarb, whose bitterness ALICE is sweetened by their virtues as a physic. Enough of talking.

NANNETTA (to Quickly) Run off to your work, now. ALICE ALICE I’ll hear him miaou like a tomcat for love. “But my face shall shine upon him...” 39 (to Quickly) We’re agreed? ALL QUICKLY “...like a star over the bottomless deep.” Yes. Ha! Ha! NANNETTA (They take leave of one another laughingly.) Agreed.

ALICE Tomorrow. Act II, Part One The hall of the Garter Inn (Falstaff, as always, is QUICKLY seated in his great chair, drinking sack. Bardolph Yes, yes. and Pistol are upstage, next to the door.)

ALICE BARDOLPH, PISTOL Good day, Meg. (striking their chests in penitence) We are penitent and contrite. QUICKLY Nannetta, good day. FALSTAFF (scarcely turning towards them) Man returns to his NANNETTA vice like a cat to cream. Goodbye. PISTOL MEG, NANNETTA And we return to you. Good day. BARDOLPH ALICE (to Meg) Master, a woman outside asks to be admitted to You’ll see how that frightful paunch will puff up. your presence.

ALICE, MEG FALSTAFF Puff up. Let her in. (Bardolph goes out and then returns with Quickly.) ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY, NANNETTA Puff up and burst.

This section is Track 4 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

QUICKLY (inchinandosi profondamente) QUICKLY (with a deep bow to Falstaff) Reverenza! Your Grace!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Buon giorno, buona donna. Good day, my good woman.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Reverenza! Your Grace! (avvicinandosi con gran rispetto e cautela) (drawing near, cautious, respectful) Se Vostra Grazia vuole, vorrei, segretamente, If it please your grace, I should like a word dirle quattro parole. with you, alone.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF T’accordo udienza. (a Bardolfo e Pistola, rimasti nel I grant you audience. (to Bardolph and Pistol, who fondo) Escite. (Escono facendo sberleffi.) are eavesdropping from the door) Away with you. (They go out, making faces.) QUICKLY QUICKLY Reverenza! Madonna Alice Ford... Yours Grace! Mistress Alice Ford... 40 FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Ah!...Ebben? Ah!...Well?

QUICKLY QUICKLY Ahimè! Povera donna! Siete un gran seduttore! Alas! Poor woman! You are a great seducer!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Lo so. Continua. I know. Continue.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Alice sta in grande agitazione d’amor per voi; vi Alice is quite upset for love of you. She sends word dice ch’ebbe la vostra lettera, che vi ringrazia that she’s got your letter, she thanks you, and her e che suo marito esce sempre dalle due alle tre. husband is always out from two o’clock until three.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Dalle due alle tre. From two o’clock until three.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Vostra Grazia a quell’ora potrà liberamente salir At that time, your Grace can freely go to lovely ove dimora la bella Alice. Povera donna! Le Alice’s house. Poor woman! Her suffering is most angoscie sue son crudeli! Ha un marito geloso! cruel! She has a jealous husband!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Dalle due alle tre. Le dirai che impaziente aspetto From two o’clock until three. Tell her that I await quell’ora. Al mio dover non mancherò. the with impatience. I shall not be wanting in my duty.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Ben detto. Ma c’è un’altra ambasciata per Vostra Well said. But I have still another message for your Grazia. Grace.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Parla. Speak.

QUICKLY QUICKLY La bella Meg (un angelo che innamora a guardarla) The lovely Meg (an angel; to see her is to love anch’essa vi saluta molto amorosamente, dice che her), she too greets you warmly; she says her hus- suo marito è assai di rado assente. Povera donna! band’s rarely absent. Poor thing! A lily of truth, of Un giglio di candore e di fé! Voi le stregate tutte. faith! You bewitch them all.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Stregoneria non c’è, ma un certo qual mio fascino There’s no witchery – just a certain personal fasci- personal. Dimmi: l’altra sa di quest’altra? nation. Tell me, the other one knows of this other?

QUICKLY QUICKLY Oibò! La donna nasce scaltra. Non temete. Imagine! Women are born deceivers. Fear not.

FALSTAFF (cercando nella sua borsa) FALSTAFF (searching in his purse) Or ti vo’ remunerar... Let me give you something...

QUICKLY QUICKLY Chi semina grazie, raccoglie amor. He who sows favors, reaps love. FALSTAFF FALSTAFF (estraendo una moneta e porgendola a Quickly) (takes out a coin and hands it to Quickly) Take this, Prendi, Mercurio-femmina. (congedandola col Dame Mercury. (dismissing her with a gesture) 41 gesto) Saluta le due dame. My greetings to the two ladies.

QUICKLY QUICKLY M’inchino. (Esce.) Your Grace. (She goes out.)

This section is just the English translation.

FALSTAFF (alone) FORD Alice is mine! In me you see a man well supplied with life’s comforts; a man who spends freely, throwing Go, old Jack, go thy ways. This old hide of thine money about, seeking pleasure in this life. My still holds some sweetness for thee. All women are name is Brook! in a whirl to damn their souls for me! Good body of Sir John, which I nourish to satiety, I thank thee! FALSTAFF My dear Mr. Brook! I hope to get to know you better. BARDOLPH (entering) Master, there is a certain Mister Brook outside who FORD wishes to meet you. He has with him a demijohn of My dear Sir John, I wish to speak to you in Cyprian wine for Your Grace’s thirst. confidence.

FALSTAFF BARDOLPH (softly, to Pistol) His name is Brook? Watch, now!

BARDOLPH PISTOL Yes. Quiet!

FALSTAFF BARDOLPH Welcome indeed that brook which flows with wine! Look! I bet he goes straight into the trap. Show him in. (Bardolph goes out.) Go, old Jack, go thy ways. (Ford, disguised, enters PISTOL escorted by Bardolph, who stops at the doorway to Ford’s going to snare him. bow as Ford passes. Then Pistol enters, bearing a demijohn, which he places on the table. Pistol and BARDOLPH Bardolph stay in the background. Ford is carrying Quiet! a small bag in his hand.) PISTOL FORD Quiet! (bowing deeply, then advancing towards Falstaff) My lord, may Heaven bless you! FALSTAFF (to Bardolph and Pistol) What are you two doing there? (Bardolph and Pistol FALSTAFF (returning the bow) leave. To Ford:) I am listening. And Heaven bless you too, sir. FORD FORD I am encouraged to speak by a well-known proverb, I am indeed most indiscreet; I ask your pardon for which says that gold can open all doors, that gold coming like this, without due ceremony, omitting is a talisman, that gold conquers all. proper perambulations. FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Gold is a stout captain who marches boldly forward. You are welcome. FORD FORD Well, then, here is a bag of money; it weighs heavily I shall explain. You are a gentleman – gallant, 42 upon me. Sir John, if you wish to help me carry it... shrewd, resourceful, a soldier, a man of the world.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF (takes the bag and puts it on the table) With Oh! pleasure. I don’t know, however, why you have chosen me, Sir... FORD This isn’t flattery. There’s a bag of gold. Spend it! FORD Spend it! Yes, spend my whole fortune! Be rich and I’ll tell you. Here at Windsor, there is a lady, happy! But in exchange, you must win Alice for me! beautiful, comely. Her name is Alice; she’s the wife of a certain Ford. FALSTAFF A strange request! FALSTAFF I am listening. FORD I shall explain: this cruel beauty has always lived in FORD utter chastity. Her importunate virtue has blinded I love her: she doesn’t love me. I write to her: she me. This unvanquished woman says: woe if you doesn’t answer; I look at her: she doesn’t see me; touch me! But if you conquer her, then I, too, can I seek her: she hides. On her, I have wasted a hope. One sin begets another, then...what do you say? fortune, with gift after gift. Trembling, I have tried all I could think of. Alas, in vain! I remained on the FALSTAFF stairs, alone, dry-mouthed, singing my madrigal. First, sir, to speak frankly, I accept the money. Then (my word as a gentleman – your hand!) I’ll FALSTAFF satisfy your desire. You shall have Ford’s wife. Love, love, which never gives us peace our whole life... FORD Thank you! FORD, FALSTAFF ...through, FALSTAFF ...is like a shadow... I’m already well on the way; (I can be frank with ...which you flee... you). In half an hour, she will be in my arms. ...yet it follows you...... and if you follow it... FORD ...it flees... Who?... Love, love! FALSTAFF FORD Alice. She just sent a...a lady, to tell me that her I’ve paid a fortune to learn this madrigal. fool of a husband is always out from two o’clock until three. FALSTAFF Such is the poor lover’s fatal destiny. FORD From two until three. Do you know him? FORD Love, love gives no truce... FALSTAFF May the devil carry him off to hell with his forbear FALSTAFF Menelaus! That lout, that lout! You’ll see! You’ll She never encouraged you? see! I’ll cuckold him for you, neatly! If he disturbs me I’ll pound his horns until he sees fireworks! This FORD Mister Ford’s an ox! An ox! I’ll fix him for you. No. You’ll see, you’ll see! I’ll cuckold him for you, neatly, neatly, neatly! It’s getting late. Wait here. I must FALSTAFF tidy up. (He takes the bag of money and goes out.) But why do you tell all this to me? This section is Track 5 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 43 FORD (solo) FORD (alone) È sogno? o realtà?... Is this a dream? Or reality? Due rami enormi crescon sulla mia testa. Two enormous horns are sprouting on my head. È un sogno? Mastro Ford! Mastro Ford! Is this a dream? Master Ford! Master Ford! Dormi? Svegliati! Su! Ti desta! Are you asleep? Wake up! Come! Wake up! Tua moglie sgarra e mette in mal’assetto Your wife wantons, bringing shame l’onor tuo, la tua casa ed il tuo letto! upon your honor, your house, your bed! L’ora è fissata, tramato l’inganno; The hour is set, the betrayal planned. sei gabbato e truffato! E poi diranno And you’re made a fool, a gullible fool! che un marito geloso è un insensato! And yet they say a jealous husband’s a madman! Già dietro a me nomi d’infame conio Already, as I pass, the infamous names fischian passando; mormora lo scherno. will sound behind me, the scornful laughter. O matrimonio: Inferno! Oh, marriage: a hell! Donna: Demonio! Oh, woman: a devil! Nella lor moglie abbian fede i babbei! Let fools trust their wives! Affiderei la mia birra a un tedesco, Better to trust a German with my beer, tutto il mio desco a un olandese lurco, a greedy Dutchman with my table, la mia bottiglia d’acquavite a un turco, a Turk with my aquavitae, non mia moglie a sé stessa. but not my wife alone! O laida sorte! O loathsome fate! Quella brutta parola in cor mi torna: That ugly word keeps coming back to my heart: Le corna! cuckold! Bue! Capron! le fusa torte! Ox! Goat! Twisted horns! Ah! le corna! le corna! Ah, cuckold! Cuckold! Ma non mi sfuggirai! no! But you shall not escape! No! sozzo, reo, dannato epicureo! Filthy villain, damnable rake! Prima li accoppio e poi li colgo... I’ll get them together first, then I’ll catch them. Io scoppio! I’m bursting! Vendicherò l’affronto! I’ll have revenge! Laudata sempre sia Praised be forever jealousy, nel fondo del mio cor la gelosia. deep in my heart.

This section is just the English translation.

(Falstaff enters. He is wearing a new jacket and a FORD hat and carries a walking-stick.) No – you first.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Here I am. I’m ready. Will you walk with me a way? It’s getting late – I must get on.

FORD FORD I’ll see you on your road. (They start out. At the Please, really. door, each tries to let the other pass.) FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Please pass. After you. FORD FORD Please! After you. FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Please pass! No – this is my house. Please pass. FORD QUICKLY Please! When I arrived at the Garter, I asked to be admitted 44 to the Knight’s presence, to have a word in secret. FALSTAFF, then with FORD Sir John deigns to grant me audience. He receives Well, then, let’s go together. (He takes Ford by the me with a swagger: “Good day, my good woman.” arm and they go out together.) “Your Grace,” and I curtsy, most humbly, before going on to the juicy tidings. He drinks it all in, swallowing every last drop of nonsense. Well, to Part Two make it short, he’s convinced that both of you are A room in Ford’s house. madly in love with his charms. (to Alice) You’ll Upstage, a great window overlooking the garden. soon see him at your feet. Doors right and left, and two doors at the back in the corners of the room, opening on to stairs. A ALICE folding screen stands against the wall, left, beside When? a huge fireplace. A wardrobe against the right wall. A low table. A chest. Along the walls, an armchair QUICKLY and several benches. On the armchair, a lute. On Today, here – from two o’clock until three. the table, a vase of flowers. MEG, then ALICE, QUICKLY (Alice and Meg enter, laughing: Nannetta enters From two until three! with them but stands sadly aside.) ALICE ALICE It’s already two o’clock. Let’s present a bill in Parliament – a tax on fat men. (running to the door, she calls:) Ho! Ned! Will! (to Quickly) I have prepared everything. (She calls out QUICKLY (entering) again.) Bring the laundry-basket. Ladies! QUICKLY ALICE This will be great! Well? ALICE MEG Nannetta – you don’t laugh? What’s wrong? What is it? (coming near and caressing her) You’re crying? What is it? Tell mother. QUICKLY He will be beaten! NANNETTA (sobbing) Father... ALICE Splendid. ALICE Yes? QUICKLY We’ll soon have our sport with him! NANNETTA ...Father... says I must marry Dr Caius! ALICE, MEG Good! ALICE That pedant? QUICKLY He fell head-first into the trap. QUICKLY Oh, no! ALICE Tell me about it, hurry. MEG That ass! MEG, then ALICE Hurry. ALICE That idiot! NANNETTA ALICE (to the servants) That grandfather! Put it there. Then, when I call you, empty the basket in the gutter. 45 ALICE, then MEG, QUICKLY No! No! No! No! NANNETTA Boom! NANNETTA I’d rather be stoned to death... ALICE Quiet! (to the servants) You can go now. (The ALICE servants leave.) With a volley of cabbages. NANNETTA QUICKLY What a bombardment! Well said! ALICE MEG Let’s set the stage. A chair here. Good girl! NANNETTA ALICE My lute here. Never fear. ALICE NANNETTA Let’s open the screen. (Nannetta and Meg take the Oh, good! I’ll never marry Dr Caius! (Meanwhile screen, open it and set it up between the fireplace the servants come in, carrying a basket filled with and the basket.) Splendid! Like that – no, a little soiled laundry.) more. The play is about to commence!

This section is Track 6 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

Gaie comari di Windsor! È l’ora! L’ora d’alzar la My merry wives of Windsor! The hour has come! risata sonora! L’alta risata che scoppia, che scherza, The hour of resounding laughter, of laughter which che sfolgora, armata di dardi e di sferza! Gaie explodes at the joke, flashing laughter, armed with comari! festosa brigata! Sul lieto viso spunti il barbs and whiplash! Merry wives! Laughing band! sorriso, splenda del riso l’acuto fulgor! Favilla Let your faces light up with a smile, then roar with incendiaria di gioia nell’aria, di gioia nel cor. laughter, the fire of our mirth, of the mirth in the (a Meg) A noi! Tu la parte farai che ti spetta. air, to the mirth in our hearts. (to Meg) It’s up to us! You must play your part.

MEG (ad Alice) MEG (to Alice) Tu corri il tuo rischio col grosso compar. You must risk your all with our monstrous friend.

QUICKLY QUICKLY Io sto alla vedetta. While I keep watch.

ALICE (a Quickly) ALICE (to Quickly) Se sbagli ti fischio. If you blunder, I’ll whistle.

NANNETTA NANNETTA Io resto in disparte sull’uscio a spiar. I shall stay here at the door, to spy.

ALICE ALICE E mostreremo all’uom che l’allegria d’oneste donne We’ll show the man that the sport of proper ogni onestà comporta. Fra le femmine quella è la women is quite proper too. The worst of women più ria che fa la gattamorta. is the one who plays the saint. ALICE, MEG, NANNETTA ALICE, MEG, NANNETTA Gaie comari di Windsor, ecc. My merry wives of Windsor, etc. 46 QUICKLY (guardando dalla finestra) QUICKLY (from the window) Eccolo! È lui! There he is! It’s he!

ALICE ALICE Dov’è? Where is he?

QUICKLY QUICKLY Poco discosto. Nearby.

NANNETTA NANNETTA Presto. Hurry.

QUICKLY QUICKLY A salir s’avvia. He’s about to come up the stairs.

ALICE (prima a Nannetta poi a Meg) ALICE (first to Nannetta, then to Meg) Tu di qua. Tu di là. Al posto! You, here. You, over there. Take your places!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Al posto! (Esce correndo.) Take your places! (runs out)

MEG, poi QUICKLY MEG, then QUICKLY Al posto! (Escono correndo. Alice si siede alla Take your places! (They run out. Alice has sat tavola, prende il liuto e tocca qualche accordo.) down at the table. Then, taking up the lute, she plays a few chords.)

This section is Track 7 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

FALSTAFF (entrando) FALSTAFF (entering) Alfin t’ho colto, raggiante fior, t’ho colto! (Prende At last I pluck thee, o radiant flower, now I shall Alice, che ora s’è alzata, pel busto.) Ed or potrò pluck thee! (He takes Alice, who by now has stood morir felice. Avrò vissuto molto dopo quest’ora up, by the waist.) Now I can die happy. After this di beato amor. hour of blessed love, I shall have lived indeed.

ALICE ALICE O soave Sir John! O sweet Sir John!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Mia bella Alice! Non so far lo svenevole, né My lovely Alice! I’m not a man to swoon nor lusingar, né usar frase fiorita, ma dirò tosto faint, nor flatter, speak flowery phrases, but un mio pensier colpevole. I must confess one guilty thought.

ALICE ALICE Cioè? Which is?

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Cioè: Vorrei che Mastro Ford passasse a miglior vita... Which is this – I wish Master Ford might pass on to a better life.

ALICE ALICE Perché? And why? FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Perché? Lo chiedi? Saresti la mia Lady e Falstaff il Why? You ask me why! Then you would be my tuo Lord. Lady, and Falstaff would be your Lord! 47

ALICE ALICE Povera Lady inver! Poor Lady Indeed!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Degna d’un re. T’immagino fregiata del mio stemma, Worthy of a king. I see you now, decked with my mostrar fra gemma e gemma la pompa del tuo sen. noble crest – the majesty of your bosom resplendent Nell’iri ardente e mobile dei rai dell’adamante, col in my gems, in the flashing fire of a diamond, your picciol piè nel nobile cerchio d’un guardinfante tiny feet encircled by a noblewoman’s crinoline, risplenderai più fulgida d’un ampio arcobalen. beautifully shining, brighter than the rainbow.

ALICE ALICE Ogni più bel gioiel mi nuoce e spregio il finto idolo Every jewel dims my beauty – I hate false, golden d’or. Mi basta un vel legato in croce, un fregio al idols. I need but a veil, some bauble at my waist, cinto e in testa un fior. a flower in my hair.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Sirena! Siren!

ALICE ALICE Adulator! Flatterer!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Soli noi siamo e non temiamo agguato. We are alone, we need fear no surprise.

ALICE ALICE Ebben? Well?

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Io t’amo! I love you!

ALICE ALICE Voi siete nel peccato! But this is a sin!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Sempre l’amor l’occasione azzecca. Love never lets a chance escape.

ALICE ALICE Sir John! Sir John!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Chi segue vocazion non pecca. T’amo! e non è mia Who follows his heart doesn’t sin. I love you – it is colpa... not my fault...

ALICE (interrompendolo) ALICE (interrupting him) Se tanta avete vulnerabil polpa. If flesh be weak, with all of yours.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Quand’ero paggio del Duca di Norfolk ero sottile, When I was page to the Duke of Norfolk, I was sottile, sottile, ero un miraggio vago, leggiero, gentile. slender, a mirage, light and fair, gentle, gentle. That Quello era il del mio verde aprile, quello era il was my verdant April season, the joyous Maytime tempo del mio lieto maggio. Tant’era smilzo, flessibile of my life. Then I was so lean, so lithe, so slender, e snello che sarei guizzato attraverso un anello. you could have slipped me through a ring. This section is just the English translation. 48 ALICE ALICE You are joking. I fear your deceit. I fear you love... Behind the screen. (Falstaff squeezes in behind the screen. Once he is concealed, Quickly signals FALSTAFF to Meg, who is behind the door. Meg comes in, Whom? feigning great agitation. Quickly goes out.)

ALICE MEG ...Meg. Alice! What a fright! What a tumult! What quarrelling! Don’t lose a moment – run away! FALSTAFF Her? I cannot stand her face. ALICE Mercy! What has happened? ALICE Do not be false, John. MEG Your husband is coming on the run, shouting FALSTAFF “Help!” He says... It seems I’ve waited a thousand years to hold you in my arms. (pursuing her and trying to hug her) ALICE I love you. Speak louder.

ALICE (defending herself) MEG Please! That he’s going to cudgel some man!

FALSTAFF ALICE Come! Don’t laugh.

QUICKLY (calling from the next room) MEG Madam Alice! He was running, blinded with fury! He was damning all the daughters of Eve! FALSTAFF Who goes there? ALICE Mercy on me! QUICKLY (entering, pretending great agitation) Madam Alice! MEG He says you’ve a lover hidden here, and that he’ll ALICE find him no matter what the cost. What is it? QUICKLY (returning in a great fright) QUICKLY Mistress Alice! Master Ford is coming! Save Milady! Here’s Mistress Meg. She wants to see you. yourself! He’s storming with anger! He thunders, he She’s out of breath, shouting, angry. lightens, he beats himself on the head, he’s shout- ing threats, yelling... FALSTAFF To the devil with her! ALICE (to Quickly) Really, or is this part of the joke? QUICKLY She wants to come in. I can’t hold her back... QUICKLY It’s true. Now he’s climbing the garden hedge... a FALSTAFF crowd is with him... he’s almost here... now he’s Where can I hide? coming into the house. FORD (shouting, from within) ALICE Villain! We must find a way to get him out of here. 49 FALSTAFF MEG The devil rides on a fiddle-bow! In the basket.

FORD (entering and shouting to his men) ALICE Close the doors! Block the stairs! On to the hunt! No, he won’t fit. He’s too big. Drive out the wild pig! (Caius and Fenton enter on the run.) Follow the trail, keep to the scent! (to FALSTAFF (hurrying to the basket) Fenton) You search the hallways. Let’s see; yes, I fit, I fit.

BARDOLPH, PISTOL ALICE (running in and shouting) To the hunt! I’m going to call the servants. (She goes out.)

FORD (to Bardolph and Pistol) MEG (pretending surprise) Don’t let them escape! Search that room! Sir John! You, here? You? (Bardolph and Pistol run into the next room, with cudgels ready.) FALSTAFF (climbing into the basket) I love you! I love only you... Save me! Save me! ALICE (to Ford) Are you mad? What are you doing? QUICKLY (covering him with clothes) Quick! FORD Who is in that basket? QUICKLY, then MEG Hurry! ALICE The wash. FALSTAFF (forcing himself in with a great effort) FORD Ah!...Ah!...I’m in...cover me... What a washing I get from you, evil wife! (He hands a bunch of keys to Caius.) You, take these QUICKLY (to Meg) keys, go through the chests – be quick! (turning Hurry, fill the basket! (While the two of them are again to Alice) What a washing you give me! To busy hiding Falstaff, Nannetta and Fenton enter.) the devil with these rags! Shut the gate in the garden! (He pulls out the soiled linen and scatters NANNETTA (to Fenton) it about, searching like a madman among the Come here. clothes.) Shirts – skirts – I’ll smoke you out, rascal! Rags! Away, away! Torn caps! I’ll smoke you out. FENTON Sheets – nightcaps – He isn’t there! What a racket!

ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY NANNETTA What a hurricane! What a cackling! Follow me!

FORD (running out left) FENTON We’ll look under the bed, in the oven, in the well, A madhouse! in the bath, on the roof, in the cellar. NANNETTA MEG Here all are mad, each for a different reason. They He’s raving mad. are mad with rage.

QUICKLY FENTON Let’s play for time. And we with love. NANNETTA FORD Follow me. Slowly. (She leads him behind the But I swear the man is here. I’m sure! Sure! Sure! 50 screen.) CAIUS FENTON Sir John! I shall laugh on that day when I see you No one has seen me. hanged!

NANNETTA FORD We’ve reached port. (suddenly attacking the wardrobe, trying to open it) Give yourself up, rascal! Give up, or I’ll bom- FENTON bard the walls! We are alone! CAIUS NANNETTA (trying to open the wardrobe with a key) Be still – and on your guard. Give yourself up!

FENTON (embracing her) FORD Come to my arms! Come out! Coward! Lecher!

NANNETTA BARDOLPH, PISTOL (from the door) May this screen... No one!

NANNETTA, FENTON FORD ...be forever blessed! Keep on searching! Give yourself up! Scoundrel! (He succeeds at last in opening the wardrobe.) CAIUS (outside, shouting) He’s not here! Stop thief! CAIUS (opening the chest) FORD (shouting) Come out! He’s not here, either. (He goes about the Stop the lecher! room, searching everywhere.) Glutton! Sot! Beware! CAIUS (entering) Tear him apart! FORD (opens even the tiny drawer of the table) FORD Coward! Liar! Stop thief! (Bardolph and Pistol run in.) Is he there? CAIUS, FORD Coward! Liar! Rascal! PISTOL (Nannetta and Fenton kiss each other audibly.) No. FORD FORD (to Bardolph) There he is! Is he there? CAIUS BARDOLPH There he is! No, he’s not here. FORD (slowly, silently, approaching the screen) FORD If I get my hands on you! I’ll turn the house upside down. (Bardolph and Pistol run out.) CAIUS If I catch you! CAIUS (having looked into the fireplace) I don’t see anyone. FORD If I get you! CAIUS BARDOLPH If I catch you! Dirty, cursed dog! 51

FORD FORD, then CAIUS, PISTOL I’ll crush you! Silence!

CAIUS FALSTAFF (putting his head out of the basket) I’ll hook you like a dog! I am drowning!

FORD QUICKLY (thrusting him back in) I’ll smash your snout. Stay down!

CAIUS FALSTAFF Woe to you! I’m drowning!

FORD MEG Pray to your saint! And now he complains!

QUICKLY (to Meg) QUICKLY Let’s pretend to be working on the wash – if only (bends down as she speaks to Falstaff) If someone he doesn’t betray us with an unforeseen move. sees you, you’re as good as dead. Until now, he’s seen nothing; he can surprise us, perhaps, but confound us, never. FORD You can shout later. There, I heard the smack of a CAIUS kiss! Beware if I fight with you! If only I catch you! BARDOLPH FORD We must catch the mouse while he’s nibbling at If I get my hands on you! the cheese.

MEG (to Quickly) FORD We’ll make him a barrier in all of this rioting. In Let’s think it through. games, even danger is an added dash of pepper. Risk is a pleasure which adds to our zest, and FENTON (to Nannetta from behind the screen) awakens within us both our spirits and our hearts. Pretty girl! Laughing girl! Oh, how you come in answer to my prayer, so like a woman! The first CAIUS time I saw you, I fell in love; and now you smile If I catch you! because you know it is true.

FORD NANNETTA (to Fenton) If I get you! While these old folks are busy at their joust, we, safe in our nook, are busy at ours, too. Love has BARDOLPH (entering) no ears for thunder and storm, it flies up to heaven He’s nowhere to be found. to find its blessed joys.

PISTOL (as he enters with neighbors) FORD We haven’t caught him. I shall not strike a blow without a proper battle-plan.

FORD (to Bardolph and Pistol and the neighbors) BARDOLPH, PISTOL, SERVANTS Psst! All of you – over here. (pointing to the Bravo! screen) I’ve found my man. There, there’s Falstaff with my wife. CAIUS FENTON 52 A man like him can cut us down with a breath. Between your lashes I see two beacons, wondrously shining, serene and bright. FORD But first you must understand my master tactic. FORD (to Pistol and two others who are with him) You (to Caius, as he puts his ear to the screen) Listen, will be my right wing. (to Bardolph and Caius) put your ear here! What pathetic cries! Over this And we shall be the left wing. While they, with lovebirds’ nest, the thunder will crash! courageous foot, will kick down the rampart. BARDOLPH (to Pistol) FENTON It is the voice of the woman who answers to her A beautiful dream of a wedding is dawning. lover.

NANNETTA CAIUS (to Ford, as he puts his ear to the screen) The tiny sprite of love hovers over us. I hear, I understand, I see clearly now how deceitful women are. BARDOLPH, PISTOL, SERVANTS Bravo! PISTOL (to Bardolph) But soon this game will end with a moral. He sings CAIUS now, but in a moment he’ll sing another song. Bravo, General! We’re waiting for your signal. NEIGHBORS FALSTAFF (from beneath the wash) If he once falls, he’ll not escape, and none can I am cooked! save him. Go to join your devil, but don’t try to escape us! MEG Stay down! MEG (to Quickly) Let us speak softly, as we watch over the Knight, FALSTAFF who is muttering and cooking here in our basket. It’s hot! QUICKLY (to Meg) QUICKLY He has so dirtied himself with every kind of sin Stay down! that to send him out with the wash is a kindness we show him. FALSTAFF I’m melting! FALSTAFF (spluttering) Ouff! Filthy basket! MEG Our rascal wants a fan! ALICE (re-entering and standing near the basket) Be still! FALSTAFF (with nose protruding, he beseeches them) A little FALSTAFF breath of air – I ask no more. I protest!

QUICKLY MEG, QUICKLY I’ll muzzle you if you aren’t silent. What a skittish animal!

MEG, QUICKLY FALSTAFF (pushing him back into the clothes) Down! Down! Carry me away!

NANNETTA MEG All is madness, laughter, sighs. The face smiles, but He’s raving mad! the heart heaves a sigh. Sweet music of love. FALSTAFF QUICKLY Help! What a devilish hunt! 53 (All the men run up the stairs.) FENTON Tell me you love me! ALICE Ned! Will! Tom! Isaac! Come! Hurry! Hurry! NANNETTA (Nannetta comes in with four servants and a page.) Yes, I love you! Empty this basket out through the window, into the ditch. There – near the reeds, where those washer- FENTON women are. I love you! MEG, QUICKLY, NANNETTA FORD Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! (The servants find the basket Silence! Here goes! The moment has come. Silence! very heavy.) Pay attention to me. NANNETTA (to the servants) CAIUS There’s a big piece in there. Give us the signal. ALICE (to the page, who goes out) FORD You – call my husband. (to Meg) We shall tell him One...two...three! (They overturn the screen. this mad story. Just to see the Knight in the sludge Nannetta and Fenton are discovered and ought to cure him of his jealousy. embarrassed.) QUICKLY (to the servants) CAIUS Heave ho! It’s not Falstaff! ALICE, MEG (to the servants) ALL THE MEN Courage! Horror! NANNETTA ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY I heard the bottom go “crack”! It’s the end of the world! MEG, QUICKLY, NANNETTA NANNETTA, FENTON Up! (The servants manage to carry the basket to Oh! the window.)

FORD (raging at Nannetta) ALICE You have disobeyed me again! (to Fenton) Triumph! You, tend to your business! I have told you a thousand times: she is not for you. MEG, QUICKLY, NANNETTA (Nannetta, frightened, runs out; Fenton leaves.) Triumph! Ha! Ha! (The basket, Falstaff and the wash go hurtling down from the window.) BARDOLPH, PISTOL There he is! Stop him! ALICE What a thud! FORD Where? NANNETTA, MEG What a thud! BARDOLPH, PISTOL There! On the stairs! ALL Patatrac! FORD (A great shout, followed by the shrill laughter of Tear him to bits! the women outside. Then Alice, Nannetta, Meg and Quickly burst into loud laughter. Ford returns with CAIUS, PISTOL, BARDOLPH, SERVANTS the other men. When Alice sees Ford, she takes To the hunt! him by the arm and leads him quickly to the win- This section is Track 8 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 54 Atto Terzo, Prima parte Act III, Part One Una piazzale A square A destra, l’esterno dell’osteria della Giarrettiera To the right, façade of the Garter Inn, bearing the coll’insegna e il motto: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”. motto: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”. It is sunset. È l’ora del tramonto. (Falstaff è seduto sulla panca (Falstaff is sitting on a bench beside the door.) di fianco al portone.)

FALSTAFF (solo) FALSTAFF (alone) Ehi! Taverniere! Mondo ladro. Mondo rubaldo. Reo Ho! Innkeeper! Thieving world! Rascally world! mondo! (Entra l’oste.) Tavernier: un bicchier di vin Evil world! (The innkeeper comes in.) Host – caldo. (L’oste parte per eseguire l’ordine.) Io, dunque, a glass of mulled wine. (The innkeeper leaves.) avrò vissuto tanti anni, audace e destro Cavaliere, I, then, having lived so long as a brave and skillful per essere portato in un canestro e gittato al canale Knight, end up carried in a clothes-basket, tossed co’ pannilini biechi, come si fa coi gatti e i catellini in the river with the stinking wash, like a kitten or ciechi. Che se non galleggiava per me quest’epa a still blind pup. Without this buoyant paunch, I’d tronfia, certo affogavo. Brutta morte. L’acqua mi surely have drowned. A nasty death. Water swells gonfia. Mondo reo. Non c’è più virtù. Tutto declina. me! Evil world! There’s no honor left, all goes to Va, vecchio John, va, va per la tua via; cammina pot. Go, old Jack, go thy ways; travel until thou’rt finché tu muoia. Allor scomparirà la vera virilità dead. Then true manliness will be gone from the dal mondo. Che giornataccia nera! M’aiuti il ciel! world. What a black day! Heaven help me! I’m Impinguo troppo. Ho dei peli grigi. (Ritorna l’oste getting fat. I’m going grey. (The innkeeper returns, portando su d’un vassoio un gran bicchiere di vin bringing a huge glass of steaming wine. He sets the caldo. Lo posa e poi parte.) Versiamo un po’ di glass on the bench and goes out.) Let’s mix a bit of vino nell’acqua del Tamigi. (Beve sorseggiando ed wine with the water of the Thames. (He drinks the assaporando. Si sbottona il panciotto, si sdraia, wine, sipping and savoring it. He unbuttons his ribeve a sorsate, rianimandosi poco a poco.) waistcoat, lies back and continues sipping the wine. His spirits brighten.)

Buono. Ber del vin dolce e sbottonarsi al sole, dolce Good. To loosen one’s vest in the sun and drink cosa! Il buon vino sperde le tetre fole dello sconforto, sweet wine. A sweet thing! Good wine chases away accende l’occhio e il pensier, dal labbro sale al cervel the gloomy thoughts of sorrow, lights up the eye e quivi risveglia il picciol fabbro dei trilli; un negro and one’s thoughts; from the lips it rises to the grillo che vibra entro l’uom brillo. Trilla ogni fibra brain, wakening the fairy smith of trills, a black in cor, l’allegro etere al trillo guizza e il giocondo cricket who sings in the reeling brain, waking to globo squilibra una demenza trillante! E il trillo trills every fiber of the heart. The joyous air quivers invade il mondo!!! to the trill, a thrilling madness intoxicates the happy globe, the trill quivers through the entire world!

This section is just the English translation.

(Quickly enters, bowing and interrupting him.) QUICKLY You misunderstand... QUICKLY Your Grace! The fair Alice... FALSTAFF The devil! I still feel the horns of that jealous, cuckold FALSTAFF goat! My bones still ache from lying cramped in that To the devil with you and your fair Alice! I’ve had a sewing-basket, doubled like a good Spanish blade. basinful of the two of you! I’ve my belly full of the What a swelter! What a stink! A man of my temper, two of you! melting away all the time, distempered drop by drop. Then, when I’m cooked, red-hot, incandescent, quenched in the river! Rascals! (Alice, Meg, Nannetta, Ford and Caius appear, one by one, from behind the house to spy, unseen by QUICKLY Falstaff, They peep out, disappear, then peep out When the clock strikes twelve... 55 again.) FORD QUICKLY He’s falling. She is innocent. She is innocent. You are mistaken. QUICKLY FALSTAFF ...with a sombre clang in the ghostly quiet, wandering Get out! spirits arise in throngs... (entering the inn with Falstaff) QUICKLY It’s the fault of those shameful knaves! Alice ALICE weeps, shouts, invokes the saints. Poor woman! (coming forward with the others and taking up the She loves you. Read this. (She takes a letter from story) When the clock strikes twelve with a sombre her pocket. Falstaff accepts it and begins to read.) clang in the ghostly quiet, wandering spirits arise in throngs and the Black Huntsman enters the park. ALICE (explaining to the others, softly) Slowly, slowly, slowly, he walks, with the weary He’s reading. step of the dead. With livid face he advances...

FORD NANNETTA He’s reading. Oh! How frightening!

NANNETTA MEG You’ll see, he’ll fall for it again. I’m already chilled with fright!

ALICE ALICE Men never learn. It’s nonsense which grandmas tell to the children at bedtime, spinning it out long to get them to sleep. MEG (to Alice) Hide. ALICE, MEG, NANNETTA Women’s revenge must never fail. CAIUS He’s reading it again. ALICE With livid face he comes to the tree, where he gave FORD up his evil ghost. Then the fairies appear. Upon his He’s reading it again. He’ll bite. head are two long, long, long horns...

FALSTAFF (reading aloud) FORD “I shall wait for you in the Royal Park at midnight. Splendid! Those horns will be my delight! Come to Herne’s Oak, disguised as the Black Huntsman.” ALICE (to Ford) Take care! You, too, deserve some punishment! QUICKLY Love loves mystery. For your next meeting Alice FORD is using a folk legend. Herne’s Oak is the tryst Forgive me. I have confessed my fault. of goblins. The Black Huntsman hanged himself from a branch. They say he comes back. ALICE Woe unto you, if ever again you give in to this FALSTAFF beastly mania of searching for your wife’s lover (relieved, takes Quickly by the arm and walks in walnut shells. But time’s getting short, we must with her towards the inn) Let us go indoors. There be quick. we can talk better. What’s this old wives’ tale? Oh, how wonderful! How delightful and spooky! MEG 56 Let’s hurry. ALICE, NANNETTA, FENTON Goodbye. FENTON Let’s plan the masquerade. MEG Goodbye. ALICE Nannetta! ALICE (to Meg) You bring the lanterns. (Alice, Nannetta and Fenton NANNETTA go out, just as Quickly comes out of the Garter. She Here I am! notices Ford and Caius, who are talking together; she stops to listen.) ALICE (to Nannetta) You’ll be the Fairy Queen, all in white, with a pure FORD white veil and a garland of roses. Have no fear: you will marry my daughter. You remember how she’ll be dressed? NANNETTA I shall sing sweet songs. CAIUS In a white dress and veil, with a garland of roses. ALICE (to Meg) You’ll be a green wood-nymph, and Quickly will ALICE (offstage) be...a witch. (Evening is coming on, the scene Don’t forget the masks! darkens.) MEG (offstage) NANNETTA Certainly not. Don’t forget the crickets! Oh, wonderful! FORD ALICE I have already spread my net. At the end, both of I shall bring some children dressed like imps, like you will come to me – she in her veil, you cowled sprites, like devils, like bats, like demons. We’ll fall like a monk. And I shall bless you as man and wife. upon old Falstaff, in his cape and horns... CAIUS MEG, NANNETTA, FENTON We’re agreed. (They leave.) All of us! All of us! QUICKLY ALICE You wait! (She goes out rapidly.) Nannetta! Oh ...until he has owned up to being a lecherous fool. Nannetta! Nannetta! Oh! Then we’ll unmask and just before dawn we’ll go laughing home. NANNETTA (offstage) What is it? What is it? MEG Night is falling, let’s go home. QUICKLY Prepare the Fairy’s song. ALICE We’ll meet, then, at Herne’s Oak. NANNETTA It’s ready. FENTON Agreed. ALICE (offstage) Remember – don’t be late. NANNETTA QUICKLY (far off) The first one there waits for the others! (Night has fallen.) This section is Track 9 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation. 57 Seconda Parte Part Two Il parco di Windsor Windsor Park Nel centro il gran Quercia di Herne. Nel fondo At mid-stage, Herne’s Oak. Upstage, the banks of a l’argine d’un fosso. Fronde foltissime. È notte. Si ditch. Thick foliage. Night. From far off, the calls of odono gli appelli lontani dei guardiaboschi. Il parco the forest-wardens. Gradually the scene brightens in a poco a poco si rischiara coi raggi della luna. the moonlight.

FENTON (entrando solo) FENTON (entering alone) Dal labbro il canto estasiato vola pei silenzi notturni, From the lover’s lips, the lovesong flies far off in e va lontano e alfin ritrova un altro labbro umano the silence of the night, until it finds an answering che gli risponde colla sua parola. Allor la nota che voice, singing the same sweet song. Then the note, non è più sola vibra di gioia in un accordo arcano, no longer alone, vibrates joyously in a secret harmony e innamorando l’aer antelucano con altra voce al and, enamoring the dawn fresh air, with the other suo fonte rivola. Quivi ripiglia suon, ma la sua cura voice it comes home again. The double song goes tende sempre ad unir chi lo disuna. Così baciai la forth again, with no care but to join the two who disiata bocca! Bocca baciata non perde ventura... have divided it. Thus did I kiss the beloved lips! Lips which are kissed lose none of their charm.

NANNETTA (da lontano) NANNETTA (offstage) Anzi rinnova come fa la luna. But are only more eager for kissing.

FENTON FENTON Ma il canto muor nel bacio che lo tocca. But the song dies at last in the lovers’ kiss. (Nannetta appare, vestita da Regina delle Fate. Con (Nannetta enters, dressed as the Fairy Queen. With lei è Alice, gnon mascherata, portando sul braccio her are Alice unmasked, with a cape over her arm una cappa nera e in mano una maschera, e Quickly and a mask in her hand; Quickly, in a grey witch’s in gran cuffia e manto grigio da befana, un bastone cape and a huge bonnet, carrying a frightful mask e un brutto ceffo di maschera in mano. Poi Meg in her hand; and finally, Meg, dressed in green veils vestita con dei veli verdi e mascherata.) and wearing a mask.)

This section is just the English translation.

ALICE (to Fenton who is embracing Nannetta) FENTON No, sir! Put on this cape. (making him put on the What do you mean? black cape) ALICE FENTON (complying) Obey in silence. Opportunity knocks but once. (to What is this for? Quickly) Whom will you dress up as the bride?

NANNETTA QUICKLY Don’t worry. A lively, long-nosed rascal whom Dr. Caius abhors.

ALICE (handing the mask to Fenton) MEG Tie this on. I have concealed the imps along the ditch. We are ready. NANNETTA A monk escaped from La Trappe. ALICE Silence! Here comes the big one. ALICE The betrayal which Ford has planned must be NANNETTA, ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY turned against him, in our favor. Away! Away! Away! Away! (All run off. At the first stroke of midnight, Falstaff FALSTAFF enters, dressed in a great black cape. On his head I am your slave! I am your impassioned stag. Let 58 are two stag’s horns. A clock strikes the hour in the truffles, horseradish and fennel rain upon me! They distance.) shall be my pasturage! Let love overflow! We are alone... FALSTAFF One, two, three, four, five, six, seven strokes – ALICE eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Midnight! Here is No. Here in the woods, Meg is following me. the oak. Gods, protect me. Jove! Thou, for love of Europa, didst become a bull; thou didst wear horns. FALSTAFF The gods teach us humility. Love changes man into The adventure is doubled! Let her come! Tear me a beast. (listening) I hear a gentle step. (Alice limb from limb, like venison at table! Tear me to enters.) Alice! Love calls to you! (coming near her) shreds! Cupid, at last, answers my prayer! I love Come! I am on fire with love! you! I love you!

ALICE MEG (offstage) Sir John! Help!

FALSTAFF ALICE (feigning terror) You are my lady! A cry! Alas!

ALICE MEG Sir John! The goblins are coming!

FALSTAFF ALICE You are my doe! Alas! We must escape!

ALICE FALSTAFF (frightened) O burning love! Where?

FALSTAFF ALICE (running off) Come! I am trembling with love! Heaven forgive my sin!

ALICE FALSTAFF Sir John! The devil will not let me be damned! (flattening himself against the oak)

This section is Track 10 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

NANNETTA (di dentro) NANNETTA (offstage) Ninfe! Elfi! Silfi! Doridi! Sirene! L’astro degli incan- Nymphs! Elves! Sylphs! Dryads! Sirens! The tesimi in cielo è sorto. (Comparisce nel fondo tra le enchanted star is burning in the sky! (She appears fronde.) Sorgete! Ombre serene! among the foliage.) Arise, serene shades!

LE FATE THE FAIRIES Ninfe! Silfi! Sirene! Nymphs! Sylphs! Sirens!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF (gettandosi colla faccia contro terra lungo disteso) (throwing himself at full length, face down, upon the Sono le fate. Chi le guarda è morto. ground) They are the Fairies! Whoever sees them (Entra Nannetta, nel ruolo di regina delle fate, con dies! (Nannetta enters, as the Fairy Queen, with Alice Alice ed alcune ragazzette vestite da fate bianche e and several little girls disguised as white and blue da fate azzurre. Falstaff rimane sempre disteso con- fairies. Falstaff remains motionless on the ground.) tro terra, immobile.) ALICE ALICE Inoltriam. Forward, now. 59 NANNETTA NANNETTA Egli è là. I see him there.

ALICE ALICE Steso al suol. Lying on the ground.

NANNETTA NANNETTA Lo confonde il terror. Frightened to death. (Tutte si inoltrano con precauzione.) (All advance cautiously.)

LE FATE THE FAIRIES Si nasconde. He’s trying to hide.

ALICE ALICE Non ridiam! You mustn’t laugh.

LE FATE THE FAIRIES Non ridiam! We’re not laughing!

NANNETTA NANNETTA Tutte qui, dietro a me. Cominciam. Here, behind me – all of you. Let’s begin.

LE FATE THE FAIRIES Tocca a te. (Le piccole fate si dispongono in cerchio You go first. (The little fairies take their places in a intorno alla loro regina.) circle about the Fairy Queen.)

This section is Track 11 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

LA REGINA DELLE FATE (Nannetta) THE FAIRY QUEEN (Nannetta) Sul fil d’un soffio etesio scorrete agili larve, fra Borne on the freshening breeze, fly, fleet spirits, i rami un baglio cesio d’alba lunare apparve. while through the wood shines the bluish gleam Danzate! e il passo blando misuri un blando suon, of the rising moon. Dance! Let your fairy steps be le magiche accoppiando carole alla canzon. measured by a fairy tune, which joins your magic dancing to a magic song.

LE FATE THE FAIRIES La selva dorme e sperde incenso ed ombra; e par The wood is asleep and breathes out perfume and nell’aer denso un verde asilo in fondo al mar. shadow; it shines in the black night air like a green cavern deep in the sea.

LA REGINA DELLE FATE THE FAIRY QUEEN Erriam sotto la luna scegliendo fior da fiore, ogni In the moonlight we wander from flower to flower; corolla in core porta la sua fortuna. Coi gigli e le each blossom holds a secret treasure within its viole scriviam de’ nomi arcani, dalle fatate mani heart. With lilies and violets we write secret names; germoglino parole, parole alluminate di puro argento from our enchanted hands blossom magic words – e d’or, carmi e malie. Le fate hanno per cifre i fior. words which gleam with silver and gold, song and magic charms, for the fairy folk write with flowers.

LE FATE THE FAIRIES Moviamo ad una ad una sotto il lunare albor, verso One by one we move in the moonlight, towards the la quercia bruna del Nero Cacciator. dark shadow of the Black Huntsman’s oak. LA REGINA DELLE FATE THE FAIRY QUEEN Le fate hanno per cifre i fior. The fairies write with flowers. 60 LE FATE THE FAIRIES ...verso la quercia bruna del Nero Cacciator. ...towards the black shadow of the Black Huntsman’s oak.

This section is just the English translation.

(As they sing, all the fairies and their Queen walk FORD slowly towards the oak. There emerge, one by one: He’s too fat. Alice, masked now; Meg, masked and dressed as a wood-nymph; Quickly, as a witch. They are QUICKLY preceded by Bardolph, in a red cape without a He’s corrupt! mask, but with the hood drawn low over his face; and Pistol, disguised as a satyr. Finally we see CHORUS Dr Caius, in a grey cape, with no mask; and Ford, He’s corrupt! not in disguise. Various townsfolk in fantastic costumes bring up the rear, then gather to form ALICE, MEG, NANNETTA a group. Behind them, other townsfolk, masked, He’s impure! carry lanterns of various types.) CHORUS BARDOLPH (stumbling over Falstaff) He’s impure! Halt! BARDOLPH PISTOL (gesturing like a sorcerer) Make the sign against the Who goes there? devil! (Alice takes Nannetta aside, while Caius runs about as if looking for someone. Fenton and FALSTAFF Quickly hide Nannetta with their bodies.) Have pity! ALICE (aside to Nannetta) QUICKLY Escape from what threatens you! The Doctor is It’s a man! trying to find you.

ALICE, MEG, NANNETTA NANNETTA It’s a man! Let’s find a hiding place. (She escapes with Fenton, covered by Alice and Quickly.) CHORUS A man! QUICKLY Come immediately when I call you. FORD Horned like an ox! BARDOLPH Spirits! Elves! Goblins! Vampires! Swift gadflies of PISTOL hell! Prick him! Nettle him! Torture him with your Round as an apple! barbed snouts! (The imps nearest Falstaff pinch his arms and cheeks, belabor his paunch with whip- BARDOLPH sticks andsting him with nettles.) As big as a ship! FALSTAFF (to Bardolph) BARDOLPH, PISTOL Ah! You smell like a skunk. (prodding Falstaff with their feet) Ho, there, on your feet! IMPS (seizing Falstaff and rolling him over and over) FALSTAFF Roll and spin, roll and spin! Roll and spin, roll Bring me a crane! I can’t get up. and spin! ALICE, QUICKLY, MEG BARDOLPH Pinch, pinch, pinch and poke, bite and nibble, prick Bed-smasher! 61 and nibble until he howls! QUICKLY FALSTAFF Seam-splitter! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

IMPS, DEVILS PISTOL Dance with the flamelets’ crackling to the click of Keg-sucker! castanets, as with spattering mud and splashing we paint this winebag as he deserves. We’ll move MEG in upon him with clever maneuvers, and dance Chair-crusher! with abandon upon his fat paunch. Mosquitoes and gadflies; charge forth to the battle, with stings CAIUS and pin pricks! Prick him and sting him, prick Mare-crippler! him and sting him, until he bursts with rage! FORD ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY Triple-chin! Pinch, pinch, pinch and poke, bite and nibble, until he howls. BARDOLPH, PISTOL, ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY Say you repent! FALSTAFF (Bardolph takes Quickly’s stick and beats him.) Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! FALSTAFF IMPS Ouch! Ouch! I repent! Butt him, goad him, from his heels to his skull! Choke him, squeeze him until his lust is quenched. ALL THE MEN Pinch him, pinch him, off with his claws, roll and Fraudulent rascal! spin, roll and spin! ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY DEVILS Say you repent! Prick him and sting him until he bursts with rage! Roll him, roll him! etc. FALSTAFF Ouch! Ouch! I repent! FALSTAFF Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! THE MEN Troublemaker! THE WOMEN Prick him, prick him! etc. ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY Say you repent! CAIUS, FORD Rogue! FALSTAFF Ouch! Ouch! I repent! BARDOLPH, PISTOL Lout! Glutton! THE MEN Goat! Cheater! Braggart! ALL THE MEN Paunchbelly! Drunkard! Knave! On your knees! FALSTAFF (They lift him and force him to kneel.) Pardon!

FORD BARDOLPH Swollen gut! (his face close to Falstaff’s) Change your life!

ALICE FALSTAFF Jowly fool! You stink of gin. ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY CAIUS, FORD, BARDOLPH, PISTOL Lord, render him chaste. Knavery personified! 62 THE MEN FALSTAFF Swollen gut! Ouch! So be it!

FALSTAFF CAIUS, FORD, BARDOLPH, PISTOL But save his belly. Good for nothing!

IMPS FALSTAFF Pinch him, pinch him! Ouch! So be it!

ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY CAIUS, FORD, BARDOLPH, PISTOL Lord, render him impotent! Knavery personified! Good for nothing!

FALSTAFF BARDOLPH But save his belly! And now may the devil take you off! (In his excitement, he lets his hood fall.) ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY May he be punished, o Lord! etc. FALSTAFF (rising) Hell’s blazes! Fire and brimstone! I recognize FALSTAFF Bardolph! Crimson-snout! Fish-nose! Awl-nose! But save his belly, etc. Resin-candle! Salamander! Will-o-the-wisp! Halberd! Tailor’s knife! Devil’s roasting-spit! Dried THE MEN herring! Vampire! Lizard! Hangman! Thief! I have Big-belly! spoken. If I have , may my belt burst. Ball of filth! Answer us. ALL FALSTAFF Bravo! I am indeed. FALSTAFF THE MEN Just a minute! I’m tired. Mountain of fat! Answer us. QUICKLY (softly, to Bardolph) FALSTAFF Come with me. I’ll put a white veil on you. I am indeed. (Caius begins his search for Nannetta again. He THE MEN goes out. Quickly and Bardolph disappear among Wineskin of malmsey! Answer us. the trees.)

FALSTAFF FORD (to Falstaff, with an ironic bow) So be it. And now, while your sweat is passing, tell me, Sir John: the cuckold – who is it? BARDOLPH King of paunches! ALICE, MEG (unmasking) Who is it? FALSTAFF Go away, you stink. ALICE Are you struck dumb? BARDOLPH King of cuckolds. FALSTAFF (after a moment of bewilderment, to Ford) My dear FALSTAFF Mr. Brook! Go away, you stink. ALICE (coming between them) ALL You are mistaken – this is Ford, my husband. Attention! 63 QUICKLY FORD Sir Knight... See her there, all in white, veiled, a garland of roses in her hair, together with the husband of my FALSTAFF choice. Make a circle about her, nymphs. (Dr Caius Your Grace... and Bardolph take their places, centre. The fairies make a circle around them.) QUICKLY You thought two women could be so stupid, so ALICE block-headed as to give themselves body and soul (introducing Nannetta, enveloped in a blue veil, to the devil, for a fat and dirty old man... and Fenton, in mask and mantle, into the circle) Another pair of lovers has asked to join in the MEG, QUICKLY happy nuptials. With a bald head... FORD ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY Splendid! A double wedding! Bring the lanterns. ...with all that weight! (The imps and Alice approach with lanterns.) Heaven joins you in marriage! Unmask, unveil! FORD Arise, be blessed! (Fenton and Caius quickly They speak clearly, don’t they? unmask. Nannetta and Bardolph remove their veils.)

FALSTAFF ALL (except for Ford and Caius) I begin to see that I’ve been an ass. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

ALICE CAIUS And a stag. What a fright!

FORD FORD And an ox. Treachery!

ALL FALSTAFF, PISTOL, IMPS Ha! Ha! Arise, be blessed!

FORD, then ALL FORD And a rare kind of monster. A stag! An ox! Ha! Ha! Fenton – and my daughter!

FALSTAFF (has regained his composure) CAIUS All kinds of common folk jeer at me now, and are I’ve married Bardolph! proud of it. But without me, their arrogance would be flat and flavorless. It is I who season it for you. I ALL am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit Ha! Ha! is in other men. CAIUS ALL What a fright! Bravo! ALICE, MEG, QUICKLY FORD Victory is ours! O ye gods! If I weren’t laughing so, I’d crush you! But enough. Now – listen to me, we shall crown ALL (except Caius and Ford) our masquerade with the wedding of the Fairy Hurrah! Hurrah! Queen. (Dr Caius comes forward with Bardolph, dressed now as the Fairy Queen, with his face FORD veiled. They are holding hands.) Here comes the Oh, wonderment! happy couple now. Attention. ALICE FENTON (indicating Ford and Caius) Oftentimes man falls into the trap set by his own They. 64 malice. CAIUS (joining Ford) FALSTAFF We. My dear Mister Ford, now tell me: the fool – who is it? FALSTAFF Both. FORD (indicating Caius) He. ALICE (moving Falstaff over to join the other two) No. All three. (to Ford, indicating Nannetta and CAIUS (indicating Ford) Fenton) Turn, now; behold their joyous confusion. You. NANNETTA FORD Forgive us, dear father. No. FORD CAIUS If a man can’t escape his trouble, he had best Yes. accept it gracefully. I accept my new family – and may Heaven bring you joy. BARDOLPH (indicating Ford and Caius) You two. ALL (except Caius) Hurrah!

This section is Track 12 on the CD of music excerpts. Here is both the original Italian and English translation.

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Un coro e terminiam la scena. A chorus to finish the play!

FORD FORD Poi con Sir Falstaff tutti andiamo a cena. And then to dinner – all of us – with Sir John Falstaff!

TUTTI ALL Evviva! Hurrah!

FALSTAFF FALSTAFF Tutto nel mondo è burla. All the world’s a prank, L’uom è nato burlone... and man is born a clown...

TUTTI ALL Tutto nel mondo è burla. All the world’s a prank, L’uom è nato burlone, and man is born a clown. nel suo cervello ciurla Within his addled head sempre la sua ragione. his brains are in a churn. Tutti gabbati! Irride We all are fools! And every man l’un l’altro ogni mortal, laughs at the others’ folly. ma ride ben chi ride But he laughs best who has la risata final. the last laugh. Fine dell’opera End of the opera Connect the Opera Terms 65

1. Opera Seria A. Dance spectacle set to music.

2. Baritone B. Highest pitched woman’s voice.

3. Opera C. Dramatic text adapted for opera.

4. Ballet D. Low female voice.

5. Orchestra E. Comic opera.

6. Libretto F. A drama or comedy in which music is the essential factor; very little is spoken. 7. G. Opera with dramatic and intense plots. 8. Aria H. Music composed for a singing group. 9. Soprano I. A composition written for two performers. 10. Chorus J. A group of musicians who play together 11. Act on various musical instruments.

12. Contralto K. Highest pitched man’s voice.

13. Tenor L. A musical style used in opera and , in which the text is declaimed in the rhythm of 14. natural speech with slight melodic variation.

15. Recitative M. Male voice between bass and tenor.

16. Bass N. A piece of music originally designed to be played before an opera or musical play. 17. Overture O. The term describing the realistic or naturalistic 18. school of opera that flourished briefly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; libretti were chosen to depict a ‘slice of life’.

P. Deepest male voice.

Q. Elaborate solo in an opera or oratorio.

R. Main division of a play or opera. 66 So you want to sing like an

Singing on the opera stage is a lot of hard work. Our voices are also able to Singers are like athletes in change in volume. Sometimes that they are constantly Opera we speak softly as when we training to perfect their are telling a secret. Other voices. They ask their times we yell as if we were at voices and bodies to do a football game. These are things that most of us some of the ways we can look without training can’t do; Singer at the human voice. But we specifically, to sing incredibly intricate and difficult can go deeper and see it as a gift of human biology. music and project their voice over a sixty piece (or Voices are powered by the air that is exhaled more) orchestra and still be heard. out of the lungs. The diaphragm, a muscle that sep- Singing begins with the human voice. The arates the chest cavity from the abdomen, is used to voice is a very versatile instrument. It can produce control that flow of air. The abdomen is right behind sounds that present a wide range of frequencies that the stomach muscles and contains the intestines, we call pitches. Pitches can be high or low. Women spleen, and other organs. It’s always important to can sing in the highest pitches and men in the breathe from the diaphragm. Inhaling deeply causes lowest ones. the diaphragm to lower while the ribs and stomach expand. The shoulders should not rise. The diaphragm forces the air out when it contracts. When it does this, it causes the vocal chords to vibrate. The vocal chords are actually folds of fibrous bands that are stretched along the two Sari Gruber as sides of the larynx. The larynx is the body’s sound Norina in Donizetti’s instrument. It is just below the ‘Adam’s apple.’ Don Pasquale. When we hum, talk, or sing, air passes through the larynx and it vibrates. As the air vibrates it creates a sound that is then shaped by the other parts of our bodies. This includes the mouth, tongue, teeth and lastly the lips. Babies experiment with singing, laughing, screaming, and babbling. This is done to exercise the vocal chords and learn how to control them. The pitch of the voice (how high or how low we speak) is created by them. Singers must masterfully control the flow of air through the vocal chords in the larynx. Each sung note is determined by how the chords are controlled. This is why singers have vocal exercises. It is so that they can quickly adjust to the demands of the music without thinking about it. Singers must learn how to shape their mouths to control the sound that comes out of it. Specific Experiment sounds are controlled by the size and shape of the 67 mouth. Think of the mouth and entire head as being 1. Place a hole in the bottom of the cups. like a megaphone. Singers use all open spaces in 2. Cut rubber bands so that they become long stretches their mouths, sinuses, and skull like a megaphone to of rubber. help project their voices. Singers raise the soft palate, located on the roof of your mouth towards the back, 3. Pull on the rubber band so that it vibrates. How does to help create the megaphone effect. An indicator pitch change? Record your findings. that enough space has been created is that your uvula, or the little fleshy piece that hangs down in 4. Tie the rubber band to a small object that is larger than the back, is raised and it doesn’t dangle. the hole in the cup. (Paper clip) This object will act as a plug to the hole. Be sure to make a square knot on the object so In opera, singers sing in many languages. So that the pressure in the next step does not cause the knot to that singers are able to effectively communicate slip out and the object to be ejected from the cup. |their lines, they often work with language coaches. Different languages demand various ways of 5. Slide the rubber band through the small hole in the expressing text. Each language has its own unique cup and pull it through until the object catches on the way of being enunciated. inside bottom of the cup. Once a singer knows the science of singing, 6. Pull on the rubber band again so that it vibrates the singer must be careful to understand the music a second time. Record your findings. and the text of the song. Certain emotions can also demand certain ways of enunciating the text. In this 7. In comparing the two sounds, what did you observe way, the singer combines vocal techniques with happen after the cup was added to the activity? the emotional context of the music to enhance the 8. Place different sized cups into your experiment and words. This process creates the passionate music record your findings. we know as opera. 9. Cover the cup opening with your hand. Pull on the Sound and Active Learning rubber band. Record your findings. 10. See if you can get your cup to make sounds like The vocal chords vibrate and create sounds a baby. that our mouth then forms so that we can talk or sing. Without our mouth we would only be able to express a sound similar to a hum. It is the mouth that is the sound shaper that produces our words and songs. Our wind pipe is a tube though which the air is passed over the larynx. After the air picks up a vibrating sound from our vocal chords, the mouth enunciates the sound into words and projects the new text-added sound into the world. We can under- stand both of these as a human instrument. We can make a model of our human instru- ment. Our model will not be able to shape the sounds into words, but it will express the various humming pitches necessary for words to be created. The place of the vocal chords will be taken by a rubber band. The place of the mouth will be taken by various size paper or plastic cups. The Highs and Lows of the 68 Operatic Voice

Some terms that are used to describe oper- Did you ever wonder what the difference is atic voices are: between a soprano and a mezzo-soprano or what can sing the highest note and the lowest? : typically a voice with a very high range Most opera singers fall into a voice type that reflects with the ability to sing complicated passages with the singer’s vocal range as well as the dramatic great agility. requirements of singing a particular role. Above all Dramatic: a heavy, powerful voice with a steely timbre. the voice is an instrument - a human one. Opera singers spend much time learning correct singing techniques Lyric: an average size voice, but capable of singing that allow them to sing without amplification. There long beautiful phrases. is no grabbing a microphone and belting out arias in Lyric : a somewhat more powerful voice than opera. All the sound that an opera singer produces is that of a true lyric. done through the sheer power of the human voice. Helden: a German term referring to a powerful voice So how does one become a soprano, mezzo- capable of singing very demanding roles. soprano, tenor, baritone, or bass, most common types of voices? Some of it has to do with Falsetto: the upper part of a voice, more often used in the size of the vocal chords and the speed at which reference to male voices. they vibrate. It also has to do with vocal range, which can be defined as the span from the lowest Let’s define a few of the voice types that note to the highest note that a particular singer can audiences generally hear in opera: produce. Vocal range is very important in opera singing. Two other things which are taken into For females, the highest voice type consideration when determining a singer’s voice type is the soprano. In operatic drama, are the consistency of timbre (sound quality or color the soprano is almost always the of the voice) and the ability to project the voice over a heroine because she projects full orchestra. Remember, there are no microphones innocence and youth. Within this category, there are in opera, and there are small, medium, large and extra other sub-divisions such as, , lyric large voices. Soprano Barbara Hendricks compares the soprano, and dramatic soprano. Each of these voices differences in vocal types to the differences between has particular lighter or darker voice qualities as well a Mack truck and a Maserati. She says “...one can as differences in range. Some of the roles sung by haul a load, but the other can take the curves.” these voice types include: the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute (coloratura), Mimi in La bohème (lyric) and Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos (dramatic).

The mezzo-soprano has a lower range than the soprano. Many mezzo- sing the so-called “trouser” roles, portraying young boys or men, or they may be the villainesses or perhaps motherly types. This category is also sub-divided into coloratura mezzo, who can sing complicated fast music through a large range. The comedic heroines of ’s operas, such as Cinderella, The Barber of Seville, and The Italian Girl in Algiers, are well-suited for this voice type. The dramatic mezzo is most often found singing the operas of Giuseppe Verdi in roles such as Amneris in Aida, or Princess Eboli in Don Carlo. One of the most well known roles for a dramatic mezzo is the fiery gypsy Carmen in the opera of the same name. The contralto or alto is the lowest In general, a bass is the lowest and female voice and the darkest in darkest of the male voices. The timbre. This voice type is usually word bass comes from the Italian 69 reserved for specialty roles like the word basso, which means low. earth goddess Erda in Richard Some singers in this category are Wagner’s Nordic fantasy-epic The Ring of the referred to as bass- because they have Nibelungen. Since this is such a rare voice type, voices that range between the bass and the baritone dramatic mezzos often sing roles in this range. voice. A bass is ideal for several types of roles. Marian Anderson, a Philadelphia native, was one of A basso serio or basso profondo portrays characters the world’s most famous ever. (See the who convey wisdom or nobility such as Sarastro story on Miss Anderson on page 8) in The Magic Flute. In contrast, a basso buffo sings comedic roles such as Dr. Bartolo in The Barber For males, the tenor is generally of Seville. considered to be the highest male So, no matter what the size, quality or range, voice in an opera, and is most often a singer’s voice has the ability to thrill an audience the hero or the love interest of the with its sheer beauty and musicality. story. His particular voice type determines which roles are best for him to sing. There are many different types of tenor voices. Two of the more common ones are lyric , whose voices have high, bright tones, and dramatic tenors whose Active Learning voices have a darker sound with a ringing quality in Let’s imagine that The Lord of the Rings had been made into the upper range. Two of the more famous roles for an opera. What voice types would you cast in the major roles tenors include Rodolfo in La bohème (lyric) and and why? Radames in Aida (dramatic). Frodo Legolas A is able to sing Sam Gimli even higher than a tenor. This Gandalf voice actually falls within a Arwen female’s voice range. Through the Saruman Galandriel use of a man’s falsetto voice, the voice produces a Aragorn Merry Pippin sound that is sometimes described as otherworldly. Gollum Eowyn Sauron A baritone is the most common Bilbo type of male voice whose range is lies midway between the high tenor voice and the low bass voice. He can play several types of roles. In comedic operas, he is often the leader of the funny business, but he can also be the hero who sacrifices himself for the tenor or soprano, or sometimes, he is the villain. This voice has a dramatic quality capable of producing rich, dark tones. The hunchback court jester in the title role in Rigoletto (dramatic) and the popular Toréador Escamillo in Carmen are favorite roles for baritones. 74 2006-2007 Season Subscriptions

Review the charts of the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s performance season and prices. Then answer the questions below.

2006 - 2007 SEASON PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE OPERA SERIES A B C D E F Wenesday Sunday Sunday Friday Saturday Friday LA BOHEME Nov. 1

CINDERELLA Sunday Sunday Wednesday Friday Wednesday Friday

PORGY & BESS Sunday Sunday Wednesday Friday Saturday Friday

FALSTAFF Sunday Sunday Wednesday Friday Wednesday Friday

Curtain Times: Sunday Performances begin at 2:30 PM; Wednesday Performances begin at 7:30 PM Friday and Saturday Evening Performances begin at 8:00 PM

2006 - 2007 SEASON SUBSCRIPTION PRICE CHART SUBSCRIPTION PRICES SINGLE TICKET PRICES SEATING LOCATION SERIES A, B SERIES C, D, E, F SERIES A, B SERIES C, D, E, F Parquet Box/Balcony Box $692.00 $612.00 $195.00 $170.00 Parquet Floor $440.00 $392.00 $128.00 $115.00 Parquet Floor front/sides $384.00 $340.00 $115.00 $100.00 Balcony Loge $384.00 $340.00 $115.00 $100.00 Parquet Circle/Balcony Circle $364.00 $320. $110.00 $95.00 Proscenium Box $248.00 $216.00 $75.00 $70.00 Family Circle $248.00 $216.00 $75.00 $70.00 Family Circle Side $152.00 $136.00 $45.00 $41.00 Amphitheatre $108.00 $96.00 $31.00 $29.00

1. Porgy and Bess will be performed on what day, date, and time in the F Series? 2. If a new subscriber buys 4 subscriptions for the E Series in the Balcony Loge, what does he/she pay? 3. Which performance occurs closest to Halloween? ______4. How many days will elapse between the performances of La bohème in the C Series and Cinderella in the E Series? 5. What sets of series have the same curtain time? 6. In Series A, what is the cost of the subscription for a parquet or balcony box and of an individual ticket? 7. How much more does a person pay when buying single tickets to all the operas in the Parquet Floor section in Series C than the person who buys a subscription in the parquet? What is the percentage of savings of a parquet subscription over four individual tickets? Glossary 75

abhor (ab-hawr) v. to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate. act (akt) n. one of the main divisions of a play or opera.

Acteon (act-ay-on) n. in Greek mythology, hunter who discovered the goddess Diana while bathing. When she discovered him, Diane turns him into a deer and he is pursued and torn apart by his own dogs. allegro (uh-leg-roh) adv. musical term for fast and lively. alto (al-toh) n. the lowest female singing voice; also called contralto. andante (ahn-dahn-tey) adv. a musical term meaning in moderately slow time. antiphon [an-tuh-fon] n. a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response. apoplectic (ap-uh-plek-tik) adj. something likened to a blow in its effect, as in causing pain, injury, or death. aquavitae (a-kwavetay) n. Strong distilled alcohol, especially a strong liquor such as whiskey or brandy. aria (ahr-ee-uh) n. an operatic song for one voice. audience (aw-dee-uhns) n. a formal interview with a sovereign, high officer of government, or other high-ranking per- son. bar (bahr) n. a division of music, marked by two barlines, containing a set number of beats. baritone (bar-i-tohn) n. the range of the male voice between tenor and bass. bass (beys) n. the lowest male singing voice. beat (beet) n. the basic pulse of a piece of music. beget (bi-get) v. to procreate or generate. bewitch (bi-wich) v. to enchant; charm; fascinate. blithesome (blahyth-suhm) adj. lighthearted; merry; cheerful: a blithesome nature. blunder (bluhn-der) v. a gross, stupid, or careless mistake. bombard (bom-bahrd) v. to attack or batter with artillery fire. burgher (bur-ger) n. middle class citizen or townsperson.

Charlatan (shahr-luh-tn) n. a person who pretends to more knowledge or skill than he or she possesses; quack. chastity (chas-ti-tee) n. one who is pure or virginal. chord (kawrd) n. a group of notes played at the same time in harmony. chorus (kawr-uhs) n. 1. a group of singers. 2. a piece of music for these. chronological (kron-l-oj-i-kuhl) adj. a method of arrangement that puts events in order of occurrence. coax (kohks) v. to attempt to influence by persuasion or flattery. comely (kuhm-lee) adj. attractive or pretty. commence (kuh-mens) v. to begin. conceal (kuhn-seel) v. to hide, cover or keep from sight. contralto (kuhn-tral-toh) n. the lowest female singing voice. contrite (kon-trahyt) adj. caused by or showing sincere remorse. corrupt (kuh-ruhpt) adj. that which is dishonest, lacking integrity; crooked. counsel (koun-suhl) n. advice or opinion. 76 crinoline (krin-l-in) n. a stiff, coarse cotton material; a hoop skirt.

Croesus (kree-suhs) n. king of 560–546 noted for his great wealth.

cuckold (kuhk-uhld) n. husband with an unfaithful wife.

cudgel (kuhj-uhl) n. short thick stick used as a weapon.

deck (dek) v. to clothe with finery; adorn.

deign (deyn) v. to condescend to give or grant.

demijohn (dem-i-jon) n. a large bottle having a short, narrow neck, and usually being encased in wickerwork.

distemper (dis-tem-per) n. a psychological or mental disorder.

douse (dous) v. to plunge into water or the like; drench.

dryad (drahy-ad) n. in mythology a wood nymph or goddess.

empurpled (em-pur-puhl) v. to become purplish or flushed.

exeunt (ek-see-uhnt) used as a stage direction to specify that all or certain named characters leave the stage.

feign (feyn) v. to pretend.

flat (b) (flat) adj. a half-step lower than the corresponding note or key of natural pitch.

foetid (fet-id, fee-tid) adj. having a horrid smell or odor.

forbear (fawr-bair) v. to withhold or abstain from.

forte (f) (fawr-tey) adv. a musical term meaning loudly.

fortissimo (ff) (fawr-tis-uh-moh) adv. a musical term for very loud.

fraudulent (fraw-juh-luhnt) adj. given to or using cheating or dishonest methods.

gallant (gal-uhnt) adj. brave, spirited, noble-minded, or chivalrous.

glutton (gluht-n) n. a person with a remarkably great desire or capacity for something.

Golconda (gol-kon-duh) n. a ruined city in S India: capital of a former Muslim kingdom; famous for its diamond cut- ting.

halberd (hal-berd) n. a shafted weapon with an axlike cutting blade.

hyperbolic (hahy-per-bol-ik) adj. having the nature of hyperbole; exaggerated.

imp (imp) n. a little devil or demon; an evil spirit.

importunate (im-pawr-chuh-nit) adj. troublesome; annoying.

incandescent (in-kuhn-des-uhnt) adj. glowing or white with heat.

infamy (in-fuh-mee) n. extremely bad reputation, public reproach.

key (k) n. the basic note of the main scale used in a piece of music. Music in the key of G, for example, has the sound of being based on the note G and often returns to G as a home note.

knave (neyv) n. an untrustworthy, or dishonest person.

largo (lahr-goh) adv. & adj. a musical term meaning in slow time and dignified style.

La Trappe (la trap) n. an abbey in Normandy, France, at which the Trappist order was founded.

lecherous (lech-er-uhs) adj. given to excessive indulgence in lustful activity.

libretto (li-bret-oh) n. the words of an opera or other long musical.

loathsome (lohth-suhm) adj. disgusting; revolting; repulsive. lout (lout) adj. an awkward, stupid person; clumsy, ill-mannered boor. 77 madrigal (mad-ri-guhl) n. a secular a capella song for four to six voices popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. major (mey-jer) adj. music in a major key uses a major scale, in which the first three notes are the key note followed by intervals of a tone and then another tone (for example, A, B, C). It often has a cheerful, strong sound. malmsey (mahm-zee) n. a strong, sweet wine originally made in Greece but now made mainly in Madeira.

Mandrake (man-dreyk) n. a narcotic, short-stemmed European plant, having a fleshy, forked root resembling a human form. maneuver (muh-noo-ver) v. to scheme; intrigue; to manipulate or manage with skill or adroitness. masquerade (mas-kuh-reyd) n. a party, dance, at which people wear masks and other disguises. menacing (men-is) v. to express or serve as a threat.

Menelaus (men-l-ey-uhs) n. Classical Mythology. A king of Sparta, the husband of Helen. Asked his brother Agamemnon for an army against Troy to rescue Helen from her abductor, Paris.

Mercury (mur-kyuh-ree) n. the ancient Roman god who was messenger of the gods and the god of commerce, thievery, eloquence, and science.

Milady (mi-ley-dee) n. an English noblewoman (often used as a term of address). minor (mahy-ner) adj. Music in a minor key uses a minor scale, in which the first three notes are the key note fol- lowed by intervals of a tone and then a semitone ( for example A, B, C). It often has a sad, melancholic sound. natural (nach-er-uhl) adj. a note that is neither flattened nor sharpened. octave (ok-tiv) n. a note that sounds twice as high in pitch as another is an octave above the other note, and has the same letter naming it. opera (op-er-uh) n. a play in which the words are sung to musical accompaniment. opus (oh-puhs) n. a musical compostion numbered as one of a composer’s works (usually in order of publication). orchestra (awr-kuh-struh) n. a large body of people playing various musical instruments, including stringed and wind instruments. mirth (murth) n. amusement or laughter. nuptials (nuhp-shuhl) n. a wedding or marriage. ogle (ah-gl) v. to stare at impertinently, flirtatiously, or amorously. omit (oh-mit) v. to leave out. overture (oh-ver-cher) n. an orchestral composition forming a prelude to an opera or ballet.

Pandarus (pan-der-uhs) n. Classical Mythology. a Trojan who attempted to assassinate Menelaus, thereby violating a truce between the Greeks and the Trojans and prolonging the Trojan War. pasturage (pas-cher-ij) n. the activity or business of pasturing livestock. pedant (ped-nt) n. a person who makes an excessive or inappropriate display of learning. penitent (pen-i-tuhnt) adj. feeling or expressing sorrow for wrongdoing and disposed to atonement. perambulation (per-am-byuh-le-shun) v. to walk through, about, or over. physic (fiz-ik) n. a medicine that purges; cathartic; laxative. pianissimo (pp) (pee-uh-nis-uh-moh) adv. a musical term meaning very softly. piano (p) (pee-an-oh) adv. a musical term meaning softly. plot (plot) n. the sequence of events in an opera, story, novel, etc. pious (pahy-uhs) adj. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God. 78 prattle (prat-l) v. to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble. prognostic (prog-nos-tik) adj. of or pertaining to the diagnosis of a disease.

proscenium (proh-see-nee-uhm) n. the arch or frame that separates a stage from the auditorium.

presto (pres-toh) adv. a musical term meaning very fast.

protagonist (proh-tag-uh-nist) n. the leading character in an opera, play, story, etc.

quench (kwench) adj. to slake, satisfy, or allay (thirst, desires, passion, etc.).

rake (reyk) n. an immoral and lewd man; a womanizer.

rampart (ram-pahrt) n. a broad elevation or mound of earth raised as a fortification around a place.

refute (ri-fyoot) v. to prove to be false, as an opinion or charge.

resounding (ri-zoun-ding) adj. making an echoing sound.

resourceful (ri-zohrs -fuhl) adj. able to deal skillfully and promptly with new situations, difficulties, etc.

resplendent (ri-splen-duhnt) adj. shining brilliantly; gleaming.

Satyr (sey-ter) n. Classical Mythology. one of a class of woodland deities, attendant on Bacchus, represented as part human, part horse, and sometimes part goat and noted for riotousness and lasciviousness.

scale (skeyl) n. a series of notes arranged in descending or ascending order of pitch.

semitone (sem-ee-tohn) n. a half step or half tone, an interval midway between two whole tones.

sharp (#) (shahrp) n. any note a semitone higher than another note; also, slightly too high in pitch.

Siren (sahy-ruhn) n. Classical Mythology. one of several sea nymphs, part woman and part bird, who lure mariners to destruction by their seductive singing.

sombre (som-ber) adj. gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted.

soprano (suh-pran-oh) n. the highest female or boy’s singing voice.

sot (sot) n. a drunkard.

stage (st j) n. a platform on which an opera, play, etc. are performed for an audience.

staging (stey-jing) n. the presentation or production on the stage.

stout (stout) adj. bulky in figure; stocky.

stratagem (strat-uh-juhm) n. a plan, scheme, or trick for surprising or deceiving an enemy.

swoon (swoon) v. to enter a state of hysterical rapture or ecstasy.

sylph (silf) n. a slender or graceful woman.

symphony (sim-fuh-nee) n. a long elaborate musical composition (usually in several parts) for a full orchestra.

synopsis (si-nop-sis) n. a summary, a brief general survey.

tactic (tak-tik) n. a plan, procedure for promoting a desired end or result.

talisman (tal-is-muhn) n. a stone, ring, or other object supposed to possess occult powers and worn as a charm.

tenor (ten-er) n. the highest male singing voice.

tone (tohn) n. 1. an interval equal to two semitones. 2. the sound quality of an instrument or voice.

vanquish (vang-kwish) v. to conquer or subdue by superior force.

voracious (voh-rey-shuhs) adj. craving or consuming large quantities of food.

verismo (vuh-riz-moh) n. in opera. Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards 79

Pennsylvania’s public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening 1.1. Learning to Read Independently GRADE 5 D. Identify the basic ideas and facts in text using strategies (e.g., prior knowledge, illustrations and headings) and information from other sources to make predictions about text. 1.1.8. GRADE 8 E. Expand a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using idioms and words with literal and figurative meanings. Use a dictionary or related reference. 1.1.11. GRADE 11 H. Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading. Read a variety of genres and types of text. Demonstrate comprehension. 1.2. Reading Critically in All Content Areas GRADES 5, 8, 11. A. Read and understand essential content of informational texts and docu- ments in all academic areas. 1.3. Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature GRADE 5 E. Analyze drama as informa- tion source, entertainment, persuasion or transmitter of culture. 1.3.8. GRADE 8 E. Analyze drama to determine the reasons for a character’s actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character. 1.3.11. GRADE 11 E. Analyze how a scriptwriter’s use of words creates tone and mood, and how choice of words advances the theme or purpose of the work. 1.4. Types of Writing GRADES 5, 8, 11. GRADE 5 A. Write poems, plays and multi-paragraph stories (GRADES 8 & 11 - and short stories). 1.4.5, 8, 11. C. Write persuasive pieces (Review of Opera Experience, p. 78). 1.5. Quality of Writing GRADES 5, 8, 11 A. Write with a sharp, distinct focus. 1.6. Speaking and Listening GRADES 5, 8, 11. B. Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or non- f i c t i o n ) . C. Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations. E. Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. F. Use media for learning purposes. 1.8. Research GRADES 5, 8, 11. A. Select and refine a topic for research. B. Locate information using appropriate sources and strategies. C. Organize, summarize and present the main ideas from research.

Academic Standards for Mathematics 2.1. Numbers, Number Systems and Number Relationships 2.1.8. GRADE 8 A. Represent and use numbers in equivalent forms (e.g., integers, fractions, decimals, percents, exponents, scientific notation, square r o o t s ) . 2.2. Computation and Estimation 2.2.5. GRADE 5 A. Create and solve word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplica- tion and division of whole numbers. 2.5 Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication 2.5.11. GRADE 11 A. Select and use appropriate mathematical concepts and techniques from different areas of mathematics and apply them to solving non- routine and multi-step problems.

Academic Standards for Science and Technology 3.1. Unifying Themes 3.1.10. GRADE 10 E. Describe patterns of change in nature, physical and man made systems. •Describe how fundamental science and technology concepts are used to solve practical problems (e. g., momentum, Newton’s laws of universal gravitation, tectonics, conservation of mass and energy, cell theory, theory of evolution, atomic theory, theory of relativity, Pasteur’s germ theory, relativity, heliocentric theory, gas laws, feedback systems). 3.2. Inquiry and Design GRADE 7 Apply process knowledge to make and interpret observations. GRADE 10 Apply process knowledge and organize scientific and technological phenomena in varied ways. GRADE 12 Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness and adherence to relevant science processes. 3.3. Biological Sciences 3.3.10. GRADE 10 D. Explain the mechanisms of the theory of evolution. 3.7. Technological Devices 3.7.7. GRADE 7 E. Explain basic computer communications systems. Describe the organization and functions of the basic parts that make up the World Wide Web. (Check operaphilly.com to see photos of the rehearsals and sets.) See Teacher’s Guide for additional science lessons.

Academic Standards for Civics and Government 5.2. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship 5.2.12. GRADE 12 C. Interpret the causes of conflict in society and analyze techniques to resolve those conflicts.

Academic Standards for Geography 7.1. Basic Geographic Literacy 7.1.6. GRADE 6 A. Describe geographic tools and their uses. •Basis on which maps, graphs and diagrams are created. 7.3. The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions 7.3.6. GRADE 6 B. Explain the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics.

Academic Standards for History 8.2. Pennsylvania History 8.2.9. GRADE 9 8.2.12. GRADE 12 Pennsylvania’s public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student... skills needed to analyze the interaction of cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to. A. Analyze the... cultural contributions of individuals... to Pennsylvania history from 1787 to 1914. • Cultural and Commercial Leaders (e.g., Academy of Music architects Napoleon Le Brun & Gustav Rungé, opera star Marian Anderson). 8.3. U.S. History 8.3.9 GRADE 9 B. Identify and analyze primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history from 1787 to 1914. • Historic Places (e. g., Academy of Music). 8.4. World History 8.4.6 GRADE 6 A. Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cultural contributions to world history. 8.4.12. GRADE 12 C. Evaluate how continuity and change throughout history has impacted belief systems and religions since 1450 C.E.

Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities 9.1. Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music,Theatre and Visual Arts A. Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities. I. Know where arts events, performances and exhibitions occur and how to gain admission. 9.2. Historical and Cultural Contexts C. Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary...). D. Analyze a work of art from its historical and cultural perspective. E. Analyze how his- torical events and culture impact forms, techniques and purposes of works in the arts. F. Know and apply appropriate vocabulary used between social studies and the arts and humanities.