October 23rd, 2025The Merry Wives of Windsor
Lyster Opera, now in its 10th year of touring country Victoria, proudly unveils its latest production: The Merry Wives of Windsor, a spirited operatic adaptation of William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy.
Composed by Otto Nicolai and infused with the wit and warmth of Elizabethan England, this opera promises an afternoon of laughter, music, and theatrical delight.
Directed by Daniel Sinfield, this production brings together a cast of seasoned performers and emerging talent to breathe new life into Shakespeare’s timeless characters.
Sinfield’s direction blends historical authenticity with modern relatability, exploring themes of love, jealousy, and social mischief through a comedic lens that resonates with today’s audiences.
The opera follows the misadventures of Sir John Falstaff, a pompous knight who attempts to seduce two married women, Mrs Fluth and Mrs Reich, for financial gain.
The clever wives uncover his scheme and orchestrate a series of hilarious pranks to teach him a lesson. Meanwhile, romantic entanglements and mistaken identities ripple through the town, culminating in a jubilant finale that celebrates wit, loyalty, and love.
Along with Daniel as director, costume design is by Maddy Connellan, production imagery by Blair Parkinson with a cast of internationally experienced performers and rising stars from Victoria’s opera scene.
The production’s visual storytelling is enhanced by period costumes and evocative imagery, creating a rich theatrical experience that transports audiences to the heart of Elizabethan England.
Composed in 1849 by Otto Nicolai, The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comic opera in three acts with a German libretto by Salomon Hermann Mosenthal. It follows the Singspiel tradition, combining musical numbers with spoken dialogue, similar to modern musical theatre.
Nicolai, a child prodigy from Prussia and co-founder of the Vienna Philharmonic, tragically passed away just days after the opera’s premiere, making this work his most celebrated legacy.
Tickets for the Creswick performance on October 25 can be bought from www. lysteropera.com.au/coming-soon
Image: Phil Thomson
