SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Radio transmission of Verdi’s ‘Lyrical comedy in three acts’ relayed from Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. With Arnold Matters as Falstaff. The Sadler’s Wells Orchestra and Chorus are conducted by Michael Mudie.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

14 Apr 1950 at 19:00 (Channel: BBC Third Programme)

Duration

170 mins

Availability

No archive copy known

Credits

Producer

Tyrone Guthrie

Music

Giuseppe Verdi

Contributor

Michael Mudie

Cast

Arnold Matters	Sir John Falstaff
Anna Pollak	Mistress Margaret Page
Marion Lowe	Mistress Alice Ford
Olwen Price	Mistress Quickly
Roderick Jones	Frank Ford
Ben Williams	Host of the Garter Inn
Jones. Gwilym	Bardolph
Rowland Jones	Fenton
Stanley Clarkson	Pistol
William Booth	Doctor Caius

Additional Details

Theatre

Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London

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.

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)