IU Opera presents Falstaff

Seated within the textured red walls of the house stood members of the cast of “Falstaff,” the last production of IU Opera & Ballet Theater’s 2012-13 season. Two of the cast members frolicked across stage as they are chased by their padded main lead. 

Not long after, they were replaced by a set of women singing of revenge. Hanging over the actors’ heads was a screen providing the theater with the translation of the Italian lyrics. The words it provided gave a taste of what Falstaff is about.

“I don’t doubt our game will succeed.”

Sitting a few feet from the end of the stage was Robin Guarino, the stage director. She said audiences that they will come to a show filled with action and “incredibly great music.”  

“I love when all hell breaks loose in Act II, Scene Two,” she said. “That, for me, is absolutely great. When everything starts moving really, really fast.”

While Falstaff has much to offer to its audience in terms of musicality, none of what happens onstage has come easily, Guarino said.

“The language and music is very difficult,” she said. “It moves quickly, and you therefore have to be on top of it with your mind, and your body and your heart and soul.

“I was lucky to work with the conductor who is so excited about text, and who uses the text as a starting point for all of the work.”

Standing in the sunken orchestra pit, almost appearing like a floating head to the audience, the conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos. He said in an email that the orchestral music supports the actions occurring onstage by combining different instruments and sounds.

“It’s like the foundation of a building on top of which all the other layers sit,” he said.
This will be the first time he has conducted Falstaff, though he said that he has had experience working as a chorusmaster for the show and has loved working with IU Opera.

“Working with the students at IU Opera is one of the most satisfying things that I do all year,” he said. “The atmosphere is professional, nurturing and geared towards building performances that are true to the text, music and theatricality of whatever piece is being produced.”

Both he and Guarino say they are excited for the upcoming performances, the first opening at 8 p.m. April 5. Other shows will run at 8 p.m. April 6, 12 and 13.

“All of us in this career of opera long for projects like this, where we are working in great theater and music-making,” Guarino said.