Critic’s Choice
To think of Verdi is to think of doomed heroines and tragic outcomes—except in the case of Falstaff, the one comedy from Verdi’s mature output.
Based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, this celebration of human folly and romantic intrigue takes the stage at Winspear Opera House in the quasi-Elizabethan-style production conceived by the late Lee Blakeley for Los Angeles Opera in 2013. Riccardo Frizza will conduct, with bass-baritone Mark Delavan taking on the title role as the grandest buffoon in all of opera. Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe will join as Dame Quickly, with mezzo-soprano Megan Marino as Meg Page, soprano Angela Meade as Alice Ford, and baritone Quinn Kelsey as Ford.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sunday, and 7:30 p.m. May 1 and 4. dallasopera.org; 214-443-1000