University Opera opens with ‘Falstaff’

In a case reminiscent of Conan Doyle, Queen Elizabeth I required William Shakespeare to resurrect Falstaff after the Bard killed off HRH’s favorite comic relief.

Composer Giuseppi Verdi also held Falstaff in high esteem. Using Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor” and parts of “Henry IV,” Verdi premiered an opera featuring the character when the composer was nearly 80 years old. The finished product is said to reflect the entire history of Italian comic opera.

University Opera has chosen “Falstaff” to open its 2003-04 season. Performances are Thursday, Oct. 23, Saturday, Oct. 25, and Monday, Oct. 27. All curtains rise at 7:30 p.m. in Music Hall. Tickets, $17 and $10 for UW–Madison students, are available through the Vilas Hall Box Office, 262-1500.