Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff, his final opera, is an extraordinary comic masterpiece that weaves rapid-fire wit, complex ensemble work and musical brilliance into one sweeping, vibrant tapestry. At the heart of this opera is a deeply human story — one that touches on ego, foolishness, aging and ultimately, forgiveness. It is also a piece that, when viewed through the right lens, reveals a striking undercurrent of social commentary, especially on power and gender.

In this production, we’ve transported Verdi’s Windsor to 1980s Oxford, specifically within the culture of the infamous Bullingdon Club. This elite all-male student society was known for debauchery, entitlement and behavior that often went unchecked. It was a breeding ground for privilege, sexism, and impunity — traits that eerily echo in Falstaff himself and the men around him. By setting our Falstaff in this time and place, we aim to draw attention to the enduring dynamics of gendered power, how “boys’ club” culture often disguises itself as charm or tradition, and how those same individuals often go on to hold positions of immense societal influence.

Shenandoah University students' energy, imagination and commitment to this reimagining of Verdi’s work have made this production not just possible, but alive with urgency and vibrancy. I am especially proud to note that this is the first time since 2019 that we are staging a foreign language opera at Shenandoah. The return to opera in its original language represents a milestone in our program’s evolution and a recommitment to the art form’s rich linguistic and cultural textures.

Performing Falstaff is no small feat. The piece is known for its incredible complexity — not only musically but also in its pacing and verbal dexterity. Boito’s libretto, drawn from Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, is dense with poetic nuance, wordplay and rhythmic agility. It moves at breakneck speed, with layered ensembles and fugues that demand split-second precision. In fact, Falstaff contains more continuous musical text than nearly any of Verdi’s earlier operas. In one instance there are over 800 lines of rapid continuous musical dialogue until there is a single rest bar in the music. For our students, this has meant rising to one of the greatest challenges the operatic canon can offer (it is the operatic equivalent to climbing Everest), and they have embraced this challenge with artistry, intellect and courage.

We could not have achieved this without the unwavering support of so many people. To Maja Tremiszewska who has spent countless hours coaching the singers in Italian diction, phrasing and musical style — thank you. To our brilliant choreographer Lindsay Browning, who has brought magic to the fairies, and to Kit Wilder, whose fight and intimacy direction ensured this production was both physically expressive and emotionally safe. We are all are so deeply grateful.

To the parents, friends, fellow faculty and supporters who have stood by our cast and crew, who have attended rehearsals, helped run lines, calmed nerves and celebrated victories: thank you. Your presence has been instrumental in this journey.

Finally, to our audience, thank you for joining us. Whether you are an opera veteran or this is your very first experience, we are thrilled to share this bold, funny, and sharp-edged opera with you tonight. May you laugh, reflect, and perhaps recognize something of the world we live in through the antics of Falstaff and his cohort.

Because as the final fugue tells us, “Tutto nel mondo è burla” — the whole world’s a jest. But within the jest, truth often hides.

– Ella Marchment, director