This was the last visit by Glyndebourne to the Edinburgh Festival, and the quality of production and performance was as good as ever. Geraint Evans quickly became recognised as one of the great interpreters of the title role, and Sesto Brescantini, who would later make an equally good Falstaff here tried a serious Verdi role which was different from his familiar repertoire.
Chorus listings make interesting reading with the benefit of hindsight, and this year's Glyndebourne vintage is particularly notable for sopranos Elizabeth Harwood and Elizabeth Robson, mezzos Elizabeth Bainbridge and Laura Sarti, and baritones Derek Hammond-Stroud and Neil Howlett.
Glyndebourne Opera at the Edinburgh Festival 1960
On its final Festival visit, Glyndebourne brought three programmes - a proven favourite by Verdi, a rare example of bel canto and a varied triple bill of twentieth century one-acters.
The five operas were: Bellini (I puritani); Verdi (Falstaff); Busoni (Arlecchino); Wolf-Ferrari (Susanna's Secret); Poulenc (La Voix Humaine).
The three week performance schedule was as follows:
First Week, w/c 22 August: Mon 22 np; Tue 23 Falstaff; Wed 24 Puritani; Thu 25 Falstaff; Fri 26 Puritani; Sat 27 Falstaff.
Second Week, w/c 29 August: Mon 29 Falstaff; Tue 30 Triple Bill; Wed 31 Puritani; Thu 1 Sep Triple Bill; Fri 2 Falstaff; Sat 3 Puritani.
Third Week, w/c 5 September: Mon 5 Triple Bill, Tue 6 Falstaff; Wed 7 Triple Bill; Thu 8 Puritani; Fri 9 Falstaff; Sat 10 Puritani.
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