"Sul fil d'un soffio etesio"
On the breath of a summer breeze
THE FAIRY QUEEN
On the breath of a summer breeze
fly, nimble spirits.
Among the branches the blue glow
of the rising moon has appeared.
Dance! And may the gentle steps
measure a soft sound,
to pair their magic with song.
FAIRIES
The forest sleeps and scatters
incense and shadows;
and seems in the dense night
a green refuge at the bottom of the sea.
THE FAIRY QUEEN
Let us wander beneath the moon,
choosing flower by flower;
each crown of petals, in its heart,
brings its good fortune.
With the lilies and the violets,
we write our secret names;
words blossom from our enchanted hands
words illuminated by pure silver and gold.
Incantations and charms.
The Faeries have flowers for their letters.
FAIRIES
While gathering flowers,
let’s move one by one under the bright moon
Towards the dusky oak of the dark hunter.
Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi
Falstaff is short of money and plans to reverse his position through affairs with two wives of wealthy Windsor merchants, Alice Ford and Meg Page. He sends letters to them, which they excitedly compare. Finding them identical, they plan to avenge this insult. Meanwhile, Falstaff's companions, Pistola and Bardolfo, reveal his base intentions to Ford, who arranges to meet Falstaff under an alias, Brook, so he can observe Falstaff’s actions.
The two wives send Mistress Quickly to Falstaff, to arrange an assignation with Alice. She tells him they are both besotted. “Brook” tells Falstaff he is enamoured of Alice and asks his help in winning her affections. Falstaff boasts this is easily done as he will be meeting with her. “Brook” fights to hide his jealous reaction.
Meg and Alice prepare for Falstaff’s arrival at the Ford home. Alice’s daughter, Nanetta, who is in love with Fenton, complains to her mother that her father plans to marry her to old Dr Caius. Alice assures her all will be well. Falstaff arrives to begin his seduction. Meg rushes in to warn that Ford is coming. They hide Falstaff behind a screen. Ford, Fenton, Caius, Pistola and Bardolfo search for Falstaff, looking first in a large laundry basket. As they look elsewhere, the wives push Falstaff into the basket. The older men push aside the screen, only to find Nannetta and Fenton in an embrace. Ford is furious. The laundry basket is tipped into the Thames!
Recovering with a glass of wine from his dunking in the river, Falstaff receives another note from Alice, delivered by Mistress Quickly, to arrange a midnight rendezvous in Windsor Park. Falstaff is to dress up as Herne the Hunter. The ladies confide in Ford and together the three expand on their plot. Legend has it that Windsor Park is haunted and they plan to dress up as fairies and goblins to scare Falstaff. Secretly, Ford tells Caius to wear a particular costume so he can arrange to marry him to Nannetta, a plan overheard by Mistress Quickly.
Nanetta, dressed as the Fairy Queen, brings her minions to the forest. They taunt Falstaff and demand that he reform, but when he recognises Bardolfo, the masquerade is over. Ford reveals himself and announces the wedding of the Fairy Queen. Two identically dressed couples step forward and are married. When unmasked, it transpires that Nannetta and Fenton are married, as are Caius and Bardolfo. Falstaff declares the world is a jest and all ends on a merry note.