This December, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the highly anticipated Chicago premiere of Falstaff, ossia le tre burle by composer Antonio Salieri and librettist Carlo Prospero Defranceschi. Featuring a cast of local and national stars led by internationally acclaimed bass-baritone Christian Pursell as Sir John Falstaff and led by singer-turned-conductor Christine Brandesand director Robin Guarino both making company debuts, this sparkling classical Italian opera is a comedic gem full of laughs, pranks, and fun. Presented in three performances only Falstaff is Wednesday, December 3 at 7:30 PM and Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7 at 3:00 PM at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building 410 S Michigan Ave. Tickets are $50-$150 and are available now at cot.org. The opera is presented in Italian with English supertitles.
Premiered in 1799 and inspired by the plot of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff follows the misadventures of an arrogant and bumbling knight as he schemes to seduce two married women — only to be hilariously outwitted by their clever tricks. Director Robin Guarino with renowned local designers costume designer Jessica Pabst and set designer Andrew Boyce have moved the story from the English countryside to an upscale resort in Southern Italy. Set and costume designs provide a lush and modern background for the timeless antics in the opera and provide a cheery alternative to Chicago’s December weather.
Filling out the cast for this production are distinguished local artists soprano Vanessa Becerra as Mistress Ford, tenor Andrew Morstein as Master Ford, Tzytle Steinman as Mistress Slender, bass-baritone Peter Morgan as Bardolfo, and recent Ryan Center alumni baritone Laureano Quant as Master Slender and soprano Denis Vélez as Betty.
The production is also timed to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of composer Antonio Salieri in 1825. Though best known today for his supposed rivalry with Mozart memorialized in the play and movie Amadeus, Antonio Salieri was a prolific and successful composer in his own right. The performance is scheduled coincides with a run of Amadeus at Steppenwolf Theatre. COT and Steppenwolf will present a free joint program at the Driehaus Museum, on Wednesday November 19. Chicago Opera Theater’s General Director Lawrence Edelson and conductor Christine Brandes will join Steppenwolf Artistic Director Audrey Francis; and Jonathan L. Green, Steppenwolf’s Director of New Play Development and dramaturg for Amadeus for a dynamic panel discussion about the real highly respected Salieri versus his false legacy as Mozart’s rival interspersed with live performances of his music. Tickets to this event are free with reservation. More information can be found at cot.org.
COT will also launch a new ticket program Discover COT in conjunction with this production. The initiative invites new audiences to experience COT’s distinctive productions at a special introductory rate. Up to 100 seats per performance will be discounted 50% off for opening night and 25% off for other performances. Tickets are available for first time ticket buyers and must be purchased before November 22 using code DISCOVERCOT at checkout.
“COT’s upcoming production of Falstaff is the perfect introduction to the company’s unique brand of opera — one that makes opera immediate and alive—visually striking, emotionally charged, and musically thrilling,” said Chicago Opera Theater General Director Lawrence Edelson. “We look forward to welcoming first time COT audiences to this irresistible comedy and to all of our future performances through the Discover COT ticketing program.”
About Chicago Opera Theater
Chicago Opera Theater’s mission is to enrich the lives of those who live, work and play in Chicago by bringing rarely produced and contemporary operas to life, supporting gifted emerging artists, and providing hands-on experiences with opera that entertain, empower creativity, and cultivate a lasting and meaningful connection to the arts. Guided by our core values, COT serves Chicago through unique, relevant, and innovative opera experiences that reflect the aspirations of our city — dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking — fostering inspiration, dialogue and belonging. Since its founding in 1973, COT has grown from a grassroots community-based company to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking art form. COT has staged over 160 operas, including over 90 Chicago premieres and 50 operas by American composers. COT is led by General Director Lawrence Edelson who was appointed in 2023.
Chicago Opera Theater’s 2025/26 season continues with Discovery Concert: In America’s Embrace January 18 – a concert of arias and scenes from operas by composers who immigrated to America in advance of Weill’s Der Silbersee; Der Silbersee: A Winter’s Fairy Tale March 4-8, 2026 – the Chicago premiere of Kurt Weill’s politically daring, genre defying masterpiece; and the concert world premiere of Trusted May 30, 2026 – the seventh opera commissioned and developed under the auspices of the Vanguard Initiative.
For more information on Chicago Opera Theater productions, visit chicagooperatheater.org/
Top row L-R Christine Brandes, Robin Guarino; middle row L-R Christian Pursell, Vanessa Becerra; bottom row L-R Tzytle Steinman, Andrew Morstein, Laureano Quant, Denis Vélez, Peter Morgan