Already well into his sixties, Aldo Protti brings to Verdi’s final baritone role a voice marked by the passage of time, yet still sufficiently resilient to embody the blustery charm of the fat knight. The innate elegance of his timbre confers a measure of aristocratic dignity, while its enduring warmth renders the character uncommonly likable.

Yet it is Teresa Żylis-Gara who ultimately steals the show as Alice. Her soprano, luxuriant and expressive, seems to suspend time as it glides through Verdi’s melodic phrases, offering moments of arresting beauty. Maureen Forrester, though slightly beyond her prime, contributes a genial and characterful Quickly, handling the role’s comic contours with poise.

At the podium, Nello Santi opts for judicious tempos that maintain orchestral clarity without dampening the vitality and charm essential to Falstaff's wit-infused score.