Falstaff, as Tim Page once wrote, memorably, "has the metabolism of a hummingbird". Sir John is the fattest man ever to take flight, effortlessly -- thanks to Verdi's magic musical carpet. And, a bit like Le Nozze di Figaro, even a bad Falstaff is better than no Falstaff at all -- a reason why, hearing of a new production of Verdi's final opera makes Opera Chic just swoon a little, every time. Now it's the turn of the new Glyndebourne Falstaff, directed by Richard Jones, conducted by Vlad Jurowski, with Christopher Purves as the fat man,
It's also nice to read that the supercool Adriana Kučerová is part of the cast -- as Nannetta.
Anyway, Edward Seckerson was there for the "Independent":
Christopher Purves, one of our most versatile singing actors, cleverly
suggests that while the pounds have piled on, this Falstaff will never
abandon keeping up appearances. He’s still light on his feet, he’s still
piss-elegant, he’s still - in his imagination - that lissom pageboy to the
Duke of Norfolk. And, yes, he still believes he’s sexy enough to carry off
the Safari Suit and shorts even when the mirror should have told him
otherwise.