Falstaff

Sir John Falstaff, an ageing knight, lover of fine wines and inveterate womanizer who is always short on money, is in urgent need of some financial means to pay off his debts at the inn where he loves to live like a lord. To do so, he intends to win the hearts – and above all fortunes – of two rich bourgeois ladies, Alice Ford and Meg Page, by sending them passionate (and rather ridiculous) love letters. But far from being taken in, the two women discover his plan and decide to take revenge. 

By making one of Shakespeare’s finest characters the hero of his last opera, Giuseppe Verdi took his leave from the stage in style – and with a great burst of laughter. At once virtuoso and theatrical, his work paints the portrait of a protagonist who is as endearing as he is unpleasant. This is the ideal score for the duo formed by our Music Director Alain Altinoglu and director Laurent Pelly, who will once more team up after their successful collaborations on our productions of Cendrillon, The Golden Cockerel, Don Pasquale and Yevgeny Onegin. In their hands, this staging will situate the Italian master’s musical riches and innovations in a dreamlike world where humour, sometimes tinged with darker shades, finds its rightful place. What better way to launch a new season! 

Are you under 30? Then attend this opera on the Young Opera Night (24.9.2026) and we treat you to a personal welcome, a free drink, a free programme book and an after-event.