Like Falstaff, the comic coda to Verdi’s tragic oeuvre, Otto Nicolai’s Merry Wives of Windsor derives from a comedy that few would rank among Shakespeare’s best. Predating Verdi’s Italian adaptation for the connoisseur by nearly half a century, Nicolai’s sparkling Singspiel version—more operetta than grand opera, with spoken dialogue—takes a populist approach. The overture, long a staple of classic pops programs, sets the stage for the feast of infectious song that is to follow. Casting has yet to be announced. In the 20th century, the supersize rapscallion Sir John belonged to cavernous Wagnerian bassos like Gottlob Frick and Kurt Moll, who rejoiced in Nicolai’s zesty characterization. (Check out their recordings.) Vocally and theatrically, this seems a tall order for a performer on the cusp, but Juilliard faculty members have a sixth sense about the young artists they throw in at the deep end. —Matthew Gurewitsch