Performances: April 11-19, various hours

Otto Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (Die lustigen Weiber Von Windsor) is a German adaptation of Shakespeare’s beloved play, telling the story of notorious drunkard and womanizer Sir John Falstaff and his attempts to woo two married women. After receiving identical letters from Falstaff suggesting illicit affairs, Frau Fluth and Frau Reich decide to teach him a well-deserved lesson and prove their fidelity to their husbands. At the same time, the Reich’s youngest daughter must thwart her parent’s plans to marry her off.

Decorated with a rich orchestration, Nicolai’s comic opera is a tale of love and empowerment, depicting the triumph of cleverness over folly.