Falstaff was Verdi’s last opera, and stands at the very peak of his musical and dramatic achievements. It was closely based on Shakespeare’s comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor, which was adapted for the operatic stage by Arrigo Boito. The central character is Sir John Falstaff, a constantly optimistic and hard living character who drives forward the plot with humorous abandon. Throughout the opera Verdi created music of scintillating wit, memorable lyricism and dramatic point.