Falstaff (opera) Falstaff (opera) Falstaff () is a comic opera in three acts by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and scenes from "Henry IV", parts 1 and 2. The work premiered on 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan. Verdi wrote "Falstaff", which was the last of his 28 operas, as he was approaching the age of 80. It was his second comedy, and his third work based on a Shakespeare play, following "Macbeth" and "Otello". The plot revolves around the thwarted, sometimes farcical, efforts of the fat
Gustavo III (Verdi) Verdi became determined to find another location for his opera. In March 1858, after contacting his friend, the sculptor Vincenzo Luccardi in Rome, and requesting information on the performances of a play "Gustavo III" currently being presented there, he proposed that Rome stage the work. Verdi sent the libretto of the opera under the name of "Gustavo III", which at that point was identical to "Una vendetta" but with the original setting and names restored. When Jacovacci, impresario of the Teatro Apollo (where "Il trovatore" had been presented successfully) received the libretto, his reaction was encouraging, but he warned the