Shouts, thrill, long standing and heartfelt ovation, “Bravo, Bravo!”, “Giorgio, Giorgio!” – tonight the Rijeka theatre performers and team of authors met and came together with the audience that became totally “involved”. The Theatre opened a new way with Falstaff, with a number of dramaturgical and directing surprises and excellent actors-comedians-singers!
The delighted audience with a smile on their face commented: “The Rijeka Opera was brilliant in this Verdi-Shakespeare-Surian masterpiece!”, “I’m overwhelmed with the felling of joy; this was phenomenal. I’ll definitely come to see the reruns as well”, “I love the classical staging more than anything, but I’m not against new things. This Falstaff was amazing, exceptional! I cannot think of the proper words of praise right now. The actors-singers-dancers were brilliant, there is no pause, all is in a constant movement. The gradation of surprise and enthusiasm keeps growing to the very end – this being something you have to be able to and know how to do; congratulations to all!”, “Surian – there’s no one like him!”, “I usually come to to see the drama staging only, but of lately, owing to such performances, the Rijeka Opera has obtained another regular visitor”, “Interesting, new, keeps paying close attention all the time. I also liked the interesting set design solution, costumes, light and the use of motifs from the two preceding operas of the Trilogy, from Otello and Macbeth”, “We’re privileged to be able to see such high quality operas in Rijeka”, “Outstanding! I’ll also come to see the reruns”, “I wouldn’t like to exaggerate, but the greatest European opera houses would be proud of this performance. This was fantastic, homogeneous, all brilliantly rehearsed, as if they were actors in the best English theatre. The interventions in the text were most resourceful! Brilliant! I watched the whole Trilogy having thought that after Otello there couldn’t be anything better, but this was a proper crown to all”.
Falstaff, the opera lyric comedy in three acts in the directon and dramaturgy of Marin Blažević, was conducted by Ville Matvejeff. Selma Banich created the choreography and movement, Marin Blažević and Dalibor Laginja the set design, Sandra Dekanić the costumes, Dalibor Fugošić the lighting design, Nicoletta Olivieri is the chorus master and Anton Kyrylov the concertmaster. Lada Čale Feldman and P. A. Skantze made interventions in the text. The intensive collective opera ensemble performance, full of comic charge and witty plots, was led by the national soloist Giorgio Surian in the role of Falstaff. The four wives of Windsor are Anamarija Knego as Alice Ford, Vanja Zelčić as Nannetta, Ivana Srbljan as Meg Page and Biljana Kovač as Mistress Quickly. Robert Kolar is in the role of Ford, Fenton is Aljaž Farasin, Doctor Cajus is Sergej Kiselev, Bardolfo is Marko Fortunato and Dario Bercich is Pistola.
And our conclusion is – The revenge of women has been fully successful!
Come to see the reruns on 10 May at 19 hours and 12 May at 18 hours.
“Everything in the world’s a joke;
Joking is a man’s vocation.
In his mind a tempest,
Whirling this way and that.
Everyone is mocked and
Everyone is mocking;
And he who laughs last,
Laughs best.”
Opera Premiere General Sponsor
