Never before seen on the Arizona Opera stage, Verdi’s masterful interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic Elizabethan buffoon comes to life in this new production opening April Fool’s Day. Irascible, randy and boastful, Sir John Falstaff concocts a scheme to seduce the wealthy Wives of Windsor and nab their riches. But his plot quickly unravels in a series of elaborate pranks as the clever women enlist everyone in the castle to outwit the old rascal. Bass-baritone Craig Colclough (Don Pasquale 2013) returns to Arizona Opera with his interpretation of Falstaff, “creating a multi-faceted musical and comical character with an overwhelming sense of fun.” –