“After L’Elisir d’Amore [2] and Falstaff, Don Pasquale is the third comic opera I sing at the Met – says Ambrogio Maestri [3]– Of course it’s a deeper role than that of Doctor Dulcamara, and somehow more similar to that of Falstaff.

The two operas share crepuscular and melancholic tones, allowing for a peculiar look on old age.

Surely there’s a distinct comic side, too, perfectly rendered by Otto Schenk’s staging, which is going to amuse the audience.

This is also my debut in the role of the ‘elderly bachelor of the old school, thrifty, gullible and stubborn but’ as the libretto indicates ‘at heart a good sort’.

And there’s really no better place than a great theatre like the Met to face a new role – continues Maestri – I’ve been allowed a long rehearsal period and several repetiteurs: basically all I need to make this character my own, a character, like that o Falstaff, I feel very close to, and one I hope to sing many times in the future”.

Joining Ambrogio Maestri on stage are Eleonora Buratto as Norina, Javier Camarena as Ernesto, and Levente Mólnar as Malatesta. Following the Met [4]’s Don Pasquale, Maestri will again be in the United States, in Chicago, where, from 21 to 26 April he will once more sing the role of Falstaff in concert performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra [5] conducted by Riccardo Muti [6].

A step “back to the roots” for this baritone who was discovered by Muti, who enabled him to make his debut at La Scala [7]in 2001 in the very role of Falstaff, which he has now interpreted over 200 times in the most important opera houses worldwide, from London to Tokyo, from Amsterdam to Paris, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.