FALSTAFF to be Presented at Maryland Lyric Opera in January
Verdi’s final masterpiece, Falstaff is more than just the composer’s successful “comic” opera, but it is also a profound meditation on humanity.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 30, 2022
Maryland Lyric Opera will present Falstaff, the third production in its 2022-23 Season of Verdi, a survey of the iconic composer's most accessible operas, on Friday, January 20 and Sunday, January 22, 2023, at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland.
Verdi's final masterpiece, Falstaff is more than just the composer's successful "comic" opera, but it is also a profound meditation on humanity from an artist reflecting back on his life and career. Shakespeare's iconic characters come to vivid life as Verdi's sublime music reminds us that "tutto nel mondo è burla" - all the world's a joke!
Returning to MDLO to conduct the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra is Joseph Colaneri, Music Director for The Glimmerglass Festival; Colaneri led the musical forces for Macbeth, the opening production in the MDLO Season of Verdi. Audiences are once again invited into Shakespeare's colorful world with impactful visuals led by David Gately.
The all-star cast of Falstaff is led by MDLO favorite Mark Delavan in the title role. The iconic women of Falstaff are sung by Mary Feminear as Alice Ford, Rachel Blaustein as Nannetta, Allegra De Vita as Meg Page, and Catherine Martin as Mistress Quickly. Brian Major co-stars as Ford, with Yi Li as Fenton, Mauricio Miranda as Dr. Caius, Joseph Michael Brent as Bardolfo, and legendary bass Andrea Silvestrelli as Pistola.
"We are excited to continue our 2022-23 Season of Verdi with the composer's final opera, his thrilling magnum opus on humanity, all told through the richly drawn characters of Shakespeare," says MDLO Founder & Artistic Director Brad Clark. "Falstaff can be riotously funny, deeply moving, and irresistibly profound. I can't wait for our audiences to rediscover all the layers of this fascinating masterwork."
Tickets for Falstaff are on sale now at Strathmore.org. Following Falstaff, the next installment in MDLO's 2022-23 Season of Verdi is the composer's legendary Otello, to be presented at Strathmore on March 3 and 5, 2023. Stay tuned for a complete casting announcement and other details.
Performance Details:
Friday, January 20, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
The Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852
Sir John Falstaff Mark Delavan
Ford Brian Major
Alice Ford Mary Feminear
Nannetta Rachel Blaustein
Meg Page Allegra De Vita
Fenton Yi Li
Dr. Caius Mauricio Miranda
Bardolfo Joseph Michael Brent
Pistola Andrea Silvestrelli
Conductor Joseph Colaneri
Visual Supervisor David Gately
Lighting Designer Stuart Duke
Projection Designer Sarah Tundermann
Ticket information
Tickets are on sale now at Strathmore.org, or call the Strathmore Ticket Office at 301.581.5100 for more information. Tickets start at $59; all tickets for students are $10 with student ID.
Health, safety, and security
For the most current information about Strathmore's health, safety, and security policies, please visit https://www.strathmore.org/your-visit/health-safety-security/.
About Maryland Lyric Opera
Maryland Lyric Opera is a regional opera company created "for musicians, by musicians." Founded by accomplished pianist and local philanthropist Brad Clark, MDLO combines a diverse performance schedule of fully staged grand opera, concert opera with the MDLO Orchestra center stage, and intimate recitals featuring acclaimed soloists with a rigorous training program that fosters the careers of the next generation of opera stars.
MDLO employs a full orchestra and a full chorus for its productions. Since our reorganization and relaunch in 2018, we have produced three fully staged operas at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park: Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Massenet's Thaïs, and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. At The Music Center at Strathmore, we have presented concert performances of Puccini's rarely performed La Fanciulla del West and his final opera Turandot, Verdi's epic Don Carlo, as well as double bills of one-act operas. In September 2022, we launched our 2022-23 Season of Verdi with the composer's Macbeth, followed by Un Ballo in Maschera in November.
Recent concerts have included individual programs celebrating Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi, as well as a memorable performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 12, K. 414 by the legendary pianist and pedagogue Leon Fleisher in his final stage performance, as well as a special memorial concert that celebrated Fleisher's enduring legacy.
MDLO's growing family of supporters is metropolitan Washington DC's vibrant, diverse, and international community. While we live in a modern and dynamic world, our aim is for our audiences to pause and experience harmony and beauty through classic operas.
We are committed to bringing young audiences to the world of opera-thanks to the generosity of our donors and patrons, students may purchase any seat in the house for $10 with a student ID. Looking towards the future, we are planning to expand our repertoire, to initiate and grow outreach programs that embrace our community, and to bring music to underserved youth and adults.
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