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| Così fan Tutte |
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A new production of Mozart’s comic opera
Così fan Tutte or School for Lovers.
What kind of opera is it?
An 18th century humorous drama (dramma giocoso) in which all the words are sung and everybody’s credulity is stretched. It was written in Italian for the court theatre of the pleasure loving Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Our production is sung in English.
The story in a nutshell
Two young men get more than they bargained for when they test the fidelity of their lovers.
ACT I - Ferrando (in love with Dorabella) and Guglielmo (in love with Fiordiligi) believe their fiancées are goddesses and are outraged by Don Alfonso’s suggestion that they are capable of infidelity. Alfonso stakes a bet. Today, if the men will follow his instructions, he will demonstrate that the women are just like the rest of us. Alfonso has the two young men pretend to leave for war. Dorabella and Fiordiligi are extravagantly distraught and outraged when their worldly maid, Despina, suggests that their lovers will be unfaithful while away and that they should do the same.
The young men return disguised as rich Albanians and lay siege to the hearts of each other’s lover: Ferrando woos Fiordiligi and Guglielmo woos Dorabella. The women repulse them and the men think they have won their bet. But Alfonso (in cahoots with Despina) has more instructions. They must feign taking poison in front of the women to demonstrate their devotion. Despina will play the part of a doctor who cures them. The action evokes the women’s pity and despite their continued protestations they now view their suitors more favourably.
ACT II - Despina encourages the women to accept their Albanian lovers and they start to come round to the idea. With the help of Alfonso and Despina the two new couples find themselves walking in the garden where Dorabella falls for the flatteries of Guglielmo but Fiordiligi manages (with difficulty) to resist Ferrando. When the men exchange notes Ferrando is furious and humiliated. He makes another assault on Fiordiligi and this time he succeeds. The women decide to marry their new lovers. The men resolve to punish the women for their infidelity and to find new lovers. Don Alfonso points out that other women will be no different. He arranges a fake wedding for the new couples at which Despina plays the notary. But hearing the army (and their original lovers) returning the women panic as the disguised lovers withdraw and return as their old selves. They ‘discover’ the marriage contract and upbraid their lovers before revealing the deception. Can they be forgiven?
Click here to read about The Opera House
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