Guiseppe Verdi; Falstaff
Domenico Trimarchi (Falstaff); Roberto Servile (Ford); Julia Faulkner (Alice Ford); Dilber (Nannetta); Maurizio Comencini (Fenton); Anna Maria di Micco (Mistress Quickly); Anna Bonitatibus (Meg Page); Enrico Facini (Doctor Caius); Alessandro Cosentino (Bardolpho); Franco de Grandis (Pistola); Chorus and Orchestra of Hungarian State Opera, conducted by Will Humburg [Naxos 8660050-51; 2 CDs]

This Falstaff bubbles with great fun and high spirits. Domenico Trimarchi is an irascible but lovable Falstaff. The bass-baritone from Naples has made a specialty of Falstaff and he gives us a ripe, intelligent characterization. Trimarchi is a master of "parlando" (the conversational style of singing) and uses it to add great flavor to his part. However, at full volume Trimarchi's voice has an annoying tremolo. The passage "va, va vecchio John," from Act 2, Scene 1, is distressing. Nonetheless, Trimarchi soon redeems himself. In "Ce a Windsor una Dama" (There's a lady in Windsor) Trimarchi tinges his mezza voce with a wondrous expectation of romance. And later he daubs the words "vado a farmi bello" (I'm going to make myself handsome) with such delicious self-mockery that one easily forgives any vocal unsteadiness. It's colorful insights like this that makes Trimarchi's performance so memorable and which justifies getting this set.

Allessandro Cosentino is hilarious as the feisty, combative Bardolph. Maurizio Comencini's worn, quavery tenore leggierio hardly suggests Fenton's bloom of youth; still he sings with plausible romantic fervor. Roberto Servile's rock-steady, virile, clarion-topped baritone serves him well in Ford's great aria, "E sogno o realta" which is aptly painted with self-pity, outrage and revenge. Franco de Grandis is a firm, no-nonsense Pistol. Enrico Facini rounds out the male cast with a solid performance as Dr. Caius.

Anna Maria di Micco is a wickedly funny Dame Quickly. The silvery-voiced Dilbur is a decided asset as Nanetta. She can float a pianissimo with enviable beauty and ease. The American soprano Julia Faulkner has a rich, warm and colorful voice which is capable of haunting expressivity. She uses her vocal powers most tellingly in Act 3, Scene 1 when she raptly describes Windsor Park with such reverential mystery, one can see the enchanted Moonlit night so wonderfully depicted by Verdi. Anna Bonitatibus' plummy mezzo compliments the trio of frisky Merry Wives.

Will Humburg's musical sensitivity elicits the highest standards from cast and orchestra. He is in complete control of the varying orchestral dynamics of Verdi's score which see-saw between raucous hilarity and gossamer subtlety. Hamburg's attention to fine orchestral detail extirpates all the good-natured fun and enchantment permeated in this opera. The Hamburg State Opera chorus does marvelous work in the last Act.

The transparency of Verdi's orchestral textures and the clarity of the voices in the mercurial ensembles prevail in the intimate, vibrant acoustic the engineers have provided. The libretto is in Italian only. Notes on the opera, and cast information are in English. Warts and all, this effervescent Falstaff lingers in the mind and is a joy to hear.

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