Performance History
The first performance of Falstaff took place on 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan to great success. The illustrious French baritone Victor Maurel, who had created the role of Iago in Verdi's previous opera, Otello, sang Falstaff at the premiere.
The first performance abroad was in Vienna, on 21 May 1893. Hamburg first saw Falstaff on 2 January 1894, conducted by Gustav Mahler. In the UK, the opera was first presented at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 19 May 1894 with Arturo Pessina in the title role, while the US premiere was at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, on 4 February 1895 with Victor Maurel as Falstaff.
The opera is still frequently performed throughout the world.
Read more about this topic: Falstaff (opera)
Famous quotes containing the words performance and/or history:
“Just as the performance of the vilest and most wicked deeds requires spirit and talent, so even the greatest demand a certain insensitivity which under other circumstances we would call stupidity.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.”
—Henry James (1843–1916)