Friday, April 25 at 7:30PM
Sunday, April 27 at 2:30PM

Main Stage Opera with Symphony Orchestra

Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Arrigo Brito

Main Stage Opera provides audiences with the full opera experience! Step into a world of wit, charm and exuberance with Giuseppe Verdi’s final masterpiece, Falstaff. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV, this comic opera in three acts — directed by Ella Marchment — promises a night of operatic brilliance and unparalleled entertainment.

Under the baton of Emanuele Andrizzi and the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, Verdi’s rich, playful score comes to life, providing the perfect backdrop to the comedic antics of Sir John Falstaff. Marchment’s innovative direction breathes new life into this beloved tale, infusing it with fresh energy and contemporary flair while staying true to the heart of Verdi’s composition.

Join us for an unforgettable evening where exceptional vocal performances, stunning set designs and vibrant costumes converge to create a spectacle that delights the senses. Falstaff is a celebration of life, laughter and the timeless human spirit, promising an operatic experience that is as thought-provoking as it is joyous.

Falstaff was first performed at La Scala in Milan, Italy, on February 9, 1893.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

Directed by Ella Marchment
Conducted by Emanuele Andrizzi
Chorus Master: Richard W. Robbins
Choreographer: Lindsay Browning
Fight Director: Kit Wilder
Set Designer: R. Eric Stone
Lighting Designer: Andrew Carson
Costume Designer: Jennifer Flitton Adams

Suggested Show Rating: PG-13

Some productions contain mature content and/or content that may be offensive to some audiences. Contact the Box Office for more information.

Digital Program

View Digital Program

Shenandoah Conservatory uses digital programs for all performances. In addition to their engaging and accessible design, digital programs are cost effective, environmentally friendly and enable us to create and update our programs more efficiently, which means we can focus our resources on the performances you love! View our digital programs by clicking the button above, scanning the QR code in our venue or texting PROGRAM to (540) 307-2336 at the performance. [Note: Digital programs are best viewed on your mobile or tablet device.]

Meet the Director

Universally acclaimed as one of Europe’s most original and progressive directors, and widely celebrated as the founder of the global #OperaHarmony movement, auteur-director Ella Marchment has also taken on leadership roles for international arts organizations and spoken and lectured at world-renowned companies and conservatoires, including Opera Europa in the Netherlands, the Royal Opera House in London, the Juilliard School in New York, and the Royal College of Music in London. She was previously director of the opera programme at Northern Illinois University and is the current artistic director of Manor Opera in the UK, and Opera Festival of Chicago. Visit www.ellamarchment.org to learn more.

Food & Drink

Concessions will be available for purchase beginning one hour prior to this performance.

Accessibility

Infrared hearing system headsets are available in Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre only. Accommodations for disabilities may be arranged by contacting the Box Office at least three days prior to the performance.

Photos by C King Media (Moscow, Cheryomushki, Spring 2024)