Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1924 - 1928

First Performance

:

Mar 21, 1929

Average_duration

:

133:16

Sir John in Love is an opera composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, with a libretto by the composer himself, based on William Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor. The opera was composed between 1924 and 1928 and premiered on June 21, 1929, at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. The plot of the opera revolves around the character of Sir John Falstaff, a fat and aging knight who attempts to seduce two married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, in order to gain access to their husbands' wealth. However, the women are not fooled by Falstaff's advances and instead plot to humiliate him. Meanwhile, Mistress Page's daughter, Anne, is courted by several suitors, including the young and handsome Fenton, whom she loves. In the end, Falstaff is exposed and humiliated, while Anne and Fenton are allowed to marry. The opera is divided into three acts, each with several movements. The first act introduces the characters and sets up the plot, while the second act focuses on Falstaff's attempts to seduce the women and the women's plot to humiliate him. The third act resolves the various plotlines and ends with a joyful celebration of Anne and Fenton's marriage. One of the characteristics of Sir John in Love is its use of English folk music, which is woven throughout the score. Vaughan Williams was a collector and arranger of folk songs, and he incorporated many of these melodies into the opera, giving it a distinctly English flavor. The opera also features a large cast of characters, including a chorus of townspeople who comment on the action and provide a sense of community. Overall, Sir John in Love is a charming and lighthearted opera that showcases Vaughan Williams' skill as a composer and his love of English folk music. Its premiere was well-received, and it has since become a beloved part of the operatic repertoire.

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