It is often a great pleasure to visit Theatre des Champs Élysées. Wednesday February 24^th it was premiere of Giuseppe Verdi´s opera Falstaff with the brilliant Anthony Michaels-Moore in the titelrole. This elegant gentleman is first class as Falstaff he is singing much better than many Falstaff´s I have heard through many years. And in the cooperation with these performances other brilliant baritone Jean-Francois Lapointe it was a baritone pleasure evening.

They are not alone on stage

. Paolo Fanale did a beautiful Fenton. And Raúl Giménez a good Dr

. Cajus.  While Patrizio Saudelli and Federico Sacchi was an amusing good couple as Bardolfo and Pistola.

 

 

 

 

 

On the female side Marie-Nicole Lemieux was the biggest pleasure. It is not often to hear an Alt voice so beautiful
. Her “Reverenza” was brilliant
. She was closely surrounded by Anna Caterina Antonacci as a beautiful Alice Ford, Chen Reiss as Nanetta and Caitlin Hulcup as Meg Page.

Director Mario Martone has done a good staging
. The very well functioning scenography by Sergio Tramonti was a pleasure to enjoy, how we could follow what was going on in the whole house, as it was build up in three floors. I have seen the same idea tried out before, but this time, this idea was the best it gave the performance the extra necessarily dimensions. Beautiful costumes by Ursula Patzak, and Lightning by Pasquale Mari. This production can be reproduced everywhere.

Daniel Gatti conducted a well sounding Orchestre National de France and the choir of Theatre des Champs Élysées. I am happy to notice that France Musique will send the performance Saturday April 17^th at 19.00.