Bold and boisterous

1:08pm Thursday 6th March 2008

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BIG, bold, brash, bad, bawdy and boozy - Falstaff is one of English fiction's greatest creations.

And nowhere is he brought more boisterously to life than in Welsh National Opera's production of Verdi's only comic opera.

Bryn Terfel, in the title role until March 20, heads a magnificent cast whose voices handle Verdi's complex score with delightful ease. As conductor Carlo Rizzi comments wryly: "If it all goes as it should, people won't notice the hard work that went into the preparation."

Taking Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor as inspiration, youthful love and jaded passions, jealousy and deception, male vanity and feminine wiles are all mixed up in a glorious celebration of vitality and life.

Peter Stein directs with energy and vigour as Lucio Fanti (designer) and Moidele Bicke (costumes) provide a visual feast.

There's magic and transformation beautifully staged in Windsor Park and a truly laugh-out-loud scene as the merry wives (Janice Watson and Imelda Drumm), plus Mistress Quickly (Anne-Marie Owens), attempt to stuff Falstaff in the laundry basket, before dumping him out of the window and into the river.

The production opened at Cardiff's Millennium Centre and tours until April. It is at Birmingham Hippodrome next week.