SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Radio broadcast of Verdi’s ‘Lyrical comedy in three acts’. With Arnold Matters as Falstaff. The BBC Opera Orchestra and Chorus under Stanford Robinson. The programme is presented by Mark Lubbock with George Howe as narrator.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

24 Jan 1950 at 20:00 (Channel: BBC Third Programme)

Duration

135 mins

Availability

No copy extant

Credits

Writer

Arrigo Boito

Music

Giuseppe Verdi

Contributor

H. Procter-Gregg

Cast

Arnold Matters	Sir John Falstaff
Flora Nielsen	Mistress Margaret Page
Olivia Rossi	Mistress Alice Ford
Valetta Iacopi	Mistress Quickly
Redvers Llewellyn	Frank Ford
Gewnt Lewis	Fenton
Howell Glynne	Pistol
Jan van der Gucht	Bardolph
Parry Jones	Doctor Caius

Additional Details

Production type

Operas and Musicals

Plays

Merry Wives of Windsor, The

Subjects

Drama; Music

Keywords

Shakespeare, William; Falstaff

Notes

General

Composed when Verdi was almost 80 years old, Falstaff premiered at La Scala, Milan, on February 9,1893.

History

The broadcast was transmitted in three parts. Part 1: 19:00-19:35, Part 2: 19:55-20:45, Part 3: 21:05-21:55. The broadcast was repeated the next day on BBC Home Service at 19:30. Transmission was in 2 parts.

Textual information

English translation by H.Procter-Gregg.

Reviews

An article by Dynley Hussey on ‘Measuring the Range of Verdi’s Genius’ in Radio Times identifies and describes the passages in Shakespeare’s plays on which the six scenes of the opera are based (25 November 1949, p. 8).

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)