Questioning Innocence: The Lovers of Falstaff

Tanner Sands
4/14/2013

Quel loro amore mi piace; serve a far pi fresca e pi solida tutta la commedia.
(Bauman 62) This is the comment that Falstaffs own librettist Arrigo Boito shared with
Giuseppe Verdi in 1889. It translates to Their love pleases me; it makes the whole comedy
fresher and more solid. (Bauman 62) From the very creation of Falstaff, the lovers Nannetta and
Fenton were seen as an important relief from the bitterness and cynicism of the other characters.
Clearly the lovers serve a purpose, but were they added solely as static stereotypical lovers or
something more? Musicologist and Professor Thomas Bauman poses that Nannetta and Fenton
transform throughout the Opera, they mature from escapist fairies to a real human couple1.
This theory disagrees with the opinions stated in Edward Cones essay The Old Mans Toys:
Verdis Last Operas who claims that the lovers are in fact moving further away from reality as
the plot progresses2. While Bauman performs a thorough musical and textual analysis, he may
overvalue some minor details in the score. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The
characters do inhabit a real world but they are perhaps not as dynamic as Bauman would like
them to be.

Bauman begins with a textual analysis of Boitos poetry. In the first act Boito writes the
lovers garden scene in hendecasyllable phrases with a rhyme scheme of ABABABCC. This is
the standard form of Italian narrative poetry which was made famous by the fourteenth century

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lyric poet Giovanni Boccaccio3. Nannetta and Fenton completely adhere to this poetic meter
which gives their first interaction a fantastical quality. One can think of this as two
Shakespearian characters speaking verse in the middle of a prose show. In Edward Cones essay
The World of Opera and its Inhabitants he writes The elevated verse he employs is an
expressive medium that permits the voicing of emotions and thoughts, usually unverbalized at
the conscious level of ordinary speech (Cone 132) However, this heightened verse doesnt last.
In act two scene two the verse is broken up as the lovers sneak around in the dark. On the first
two systems at the top of page 251 their exchanges are brief and divided into smaller groups of
three to five syllables. This dramatically coincides with their hiding from Dr. Caius but Bauman
argues that it also represents their begrudging integration into society4. When they were on their
own they were free to speak in a verbose manner, but now as they get closer and closer to the
public they are forced to adhere to the conventions of society including a new speech pattern.

Next Bauman considers the dramatic intentions of physical objects on stage. Cone claims
that in Falstaff it is Nannetta who is the innocent one and on two occasions physical objects
symbolize her separation from the world around her: the groves which hide the lovers in the
garden scene and the screen in the bedroom. (Cone 173) This is a difficult claim to refute
because Verdi himself wanted both of these objects in the original stage production. He wrote to
Ricordi specifying the inclusion of these objects and he even included sketches. Translated from
Italian his two requests were lots of plants and bushes here and there so that people can hide
themselves (Cone 173) and regarding the screen he wrote, This screen, so to speak takes part
in the action and must be put where the action requires. (Cone 173) Bauman does not deny the

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necessity of these objects, he merely points out that they are important to the plot and not
exclusively used by the lovers. The Merry Wives of Windsor also use the bushes for a hiding
place and the screen in act two is an important red herring to Falstaffs true hiding place in the
laundry basket1.

The lyrical and dramatic intentions are important, but the majority of Baumans research
delves into the evolution of Fenton and Nannttas musical and rhythmic motifs. Verdi sets their
first scene in two bar phrases to compliment the Boccaccian poetry. They begin in Ab Major, a
key that is often used for lovers. With their sweeping triple meter and peaceful satisfying
cadences the lovers seem to be quite stable in their first exchange. The mood is darkened a bit at
the pi lento in the second system of page 96 when Fenton begs for a kiss. The usual la-so
resolution of F-Eb has now changed to Fb-Eb. This richens the tonality and sets up the climax of
Nannettas pianissimo high Ab on the word luna several measures later. This lunar imagery
evokes the idea of rebirth, which is given musically in the return of F-Eb. Because of its
placement in the exchange this high Ab becomes a memorable moment for Nannetta. Bauman
considers this their stereotypical exchange1. In Cones analysis this is where the Fenton and
Nannetta stay, any alteration of this flowing melody is only used for dramatic purposes2. In other
words Cone believes that the circumstances around Nannetta and Fenton may change, but the
characters do not.

Bauman contests this by pointing to their next exchange. In act two scene two the lovers
become more cautious of those around them. This is reflected musically by the switch to Eb
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major and the shorter phrasing. Bauman believes that Verdi chose Eb major because Ford is
associated with that key, so that even musically one can see that the lovers anxiety is caused by
Ford1. This is a fair assumption as many of Fords interactions including his aria sogno o
realt?are firmly in Eb major. Following this brief exchange is Falstaffs famous hiding scene.
In this group number amidst the turmoil, the lovers no longer sing in triple meter, but in common
time. Bauman sees this exchange as the beginning of their developing relationship. Cone might
argue that that the lovers are singing differently here because of dramatic reasons and not
because their relationship dynamic has changed. Dramatically the situation is more intense and
although they are out of sight they are not alone. The lovers are only free to sing express their
true feelings when they are alone and they have escaped the clutches of normal society. Cone
could also argue that this change merely emphasizes the lovers need to escape and sets the scene
for a satisfying return to their own world in act three.

The second part of act three begins with Fenton rushing through the woods. He calls out
his familiar love song and to his surprise Nannetta answers him. This love song begins in Ab
major as it did in the first act. However, it does not stay there it moves to E major as Fenton
signs of passions loudest strains, and Fenton sings in common time and not triple meter.
Again the dynamic is muted as if the two lovers do not want to be caught even though they are
all alone. Nannetta responds in the familiar triple meter building up to her memorable soft Ab,
but now the key signature has shifted to Bb. They cadence together, swelling to a high Bb that is
resolved stepwise to the recurring high soft Ab. Both Cone and Bauman consider this very
important, but they have differing opinions on the meaning. Bauman sees this moment as
necessary growth in the relationship; Cone considers it to be a culminating moment when the
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two lovers are finally far enough removed from society that they can be their true selves.
However, this moment does not last; it is broken up by Alice who tells the two lovers to dawn
disguises so that they can be married.

In Nannettas next entrance she plays the role of Queen of the Fairies. Dawning a white
gown covered in chaste voile, circled with roses1 she summons the women of the village as her
elves. To Cone this moment is when Nannetta has finally escaped society completely.

When Nannetta appears as the Queen of the Fairies the music that she sings here is not
unlike that which has characterized her throughout, but lighter, daintier, less solid. Her
separation from the real world, already portrayed in the passages previously pointed out is
complete; contrasting earthly counter point is no longer present. She has become the fairy she is
pretending to be, and the elves she summons are real elves. The magical orchestration of the
passage ensures the transformation. (Cone 177)
The magical orchestration that he is referring to includes flourishes and trills, and even
a harp which has not been seen since the first garden scene. Bauman overlooks the dramatic
action of this moment and looks to the score. Nannetta is now singing in A major and not Ab
major. This is incredibly important to Bauman. Nannetta has finally matured and even adopted
her mothers key. The key of A has been associated with Alice since act one scene one when
Falstaff introduces her on the word e quella (this is Baumans example three). No longer does
she sing in the key of innocent lovers, now she sings as a woman in her mothers key1. It is true
that tonal relationships are important in Falstaff but Bauman seems to severely undervalue the
plot at this moment. Nannetta is playing the Fairy Queen, this is the moment that she is furthest
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from reality. If this is the moment that she has grown up it is likely because she is finally
removed from society and Fenton, whom she has loved consistently throughout the show, is
about to be hers.
The two musicologists actually agree on the meaning of the wedding scene. They both
concede that the masks allow the two lovers to integrate into society and when they are married;
their lives are no longer a fantasy. The lovers are able, for a little while to escape. But they
recognize that even they must eventually come to terms with the others, that the claims of
ordinary society are imperative. So they too carry out their parts in the final fugue. (Cone 174)
In the famous final fugue the lovers join in with the others and repeat tutto nel mondo burla
or all the worlds a jest. While Bauman thinks that this transformation happens earlier in the
opera, he agrees that by the final scene the two lovers are fully a part of adult society. The opera
like the comedy ends with the classical conclusion of wedding and feast. These rituals convey
not only acceptance into adult society but also the recurring hope that the young may play their
new roles better than the old. (Bauman 69)

It is interesting that either of these musicologists can be thought of as having the right
conclusion depending on the production. The 1992 Metropolitan Opera production clearly
showed the lovers arc and maturation, but the 2013 University of Colorado Opera production
seemed to emphasize the escapism and unchanging innocence of the lovers. In the 1992 Met
performance of the opera the lovers did not always have the privacy that Verdi intended. In the
Act one scene two as Fenton enters Mistress Quickly is still on stage watching Nannetta and
smiling. While this might seem like a minor detail, part of the allure of the lovers is their ability
to get away from society, if even one person is added to their interactions, they cease to be alone.

In this case Quickly took a moment to enjoy the young love before exiting. Also, despite their
beautiful flowing musical line, in this version it seems as if the lovers were a bit hesitant in their
first interaction. When Fenton pulls in for a kiss, Nannetta pulls away. This rejection is not
completely playful; she seemed concerned that they may be caught at any moment. The lovers
next big moment, hiding behind the screen in act two, is dramatically consistent between the two
productions. It seems that their love hadnt changed but due to the dramatically raised stakes they
were noticeably concerned and both physically and emotionally closer to one another. Fentons
first entrance in act three seemed to be more desperate in this version, as if he was unsure of
whether or not Nannetta will answer his call. When Nannetta does enter Fenton is overcome with
joy, now that they are finally alone in the forest their true passion can shine through, if only for a
moment. In her entrance as the Fairy Queen Nannetta literally rode in on a white horse. She
seemed confident and calm, one can see Baumans claim that she was now a woman. Her posture
was more proper, she wore a gentle pleasant smile and not her usual beaming youthful grin. Both
lovers seemed mature in the wedding scene as well, although Nannetta had already blossomed
into womanhood well before the wedding.

On the other hand, CUs rendition of Falstaff supports Cones claim that the lovers are
truly the innocent escapists that contrast the rest of the show. The first evidence of this escapism
came in act one scene two with Nannetta and Fentons first interaction. The entire garden scene
took place upstage. This gave the lovers several layers of separation from reality. Their amorous
banter was not downstage center for all of the audience to see, but rather intimate and hidden.
They sang to one another on the second level as far upstage as the set would allow. Throughout
the course of the show Fenton seemed confident that Nannetta be his, and the way that

Nannettas face lit up whenever Fenton entered never changed. As the Fairy Queen Nannetta
took her place center stage, but instead of remaining confident and still, Nannetta waived her
arms about as if summoning her elves through some mystical incantation. Also, in this
production Nannetta dawns a mask as the Fairy Queen. At first, this provides yet another layer of
separation between Nannetta and the others, but when the other masked townspeople enter, it is a
way for her to integrate into society. The pretend fairies become temporarily real ones and
through her innocence, so too does the pretend wedding become a real one for her. (Cone 171)
In this production it appears that the lovers dont fully mature until after they are wed.

The love of Nannetta and Fenton may seem to be are a mere side plot, but their amorous
exchanges sprinkled like sugar on a cake1refresh the audience and juxtapose the self-centered
and often harsh actions of the other characters. Whether they are constantly maturing or
constantly trying to escape society, their moments together certainly warrant a second look.
Given the differences between the Mets production and CUs production, it may be possible that
the evolution of their relationship is a directorial choice and not necessarily set in stone. No
matter how suddenly they grow, one thing is for sure. They enrich the plot and give a hope to an
otherwise sarcastic show. Quel loro amore mi piace.

Bauman, Thomas

Sources
Bauman, Thomas. "The Young Lovers in" Falstaff"." 19th-Century Music 9.1 (1985): 62-69.

Brand, Peter, and Lino Pertile, eds. The Cambridge history of Italian literature. Cambridge
University Press, 1999.

Cone, Edward T., and Robert P. Morgan. Music: A View from Delft. Selected Essays. University
of Chicago Press, 1989.