After its original staging in 1790, Mozart’s Così fan tutte (which translates literally from Italian as ‘so do they all’) was seldom performed for 200 years. That is at least in part because its treatment of infidelity as a natural part of life was considered morally scandalising. Today, however, the most scandalising aspect of the libretto is its thoroughgoing sexism, so it cannot really be considered ahead of its time.
It is the story of two young soldiers: Ferrando (Filipe Manu) and Guglielmo (Nathan Lay), who brag to the older, cynical Don Alfonso (Richard Anderson) about the fidelity of their respective fiancées. Don Alfonso laments their naïveté and bets them that their partners Fiordiligi (Nardus Williams) and Dorabella (Helen Sherman) are not as faithful as they suppose.
Once Ferrando and Guglielmo have accepted the bet, Don Alfonso hatches a fairly harebrained scheme whereby he tells Fiordiligi and Dorabella that their partners have been sent to war while simultaneously disguising them as Albanians and prompting them to make advances to each other’s partner.
Oddly, Don Alfonso is concerned that Despina (Alexandra Oomens), their maid, will see through the disguises, but has no such misgivings that either Fiordiligi or Dorabella will recognise their beloved. Suffice to say the disguises are convincing enough to prompt all manner of mischief and mayhem.
When originally performed, the play was set in then-contemporary Naples, but this production by director David McVicar updates it to the early 20th century – which adds some piquancy to the hoax of Ferrando and Guglielmo being sent off to war. The set, as usual with Opera Australia productions, is beautiful, capturing more of the Mediterranean’s azure than a painted backdrop ought by rights be able to.
The chorus is also excellent. Oomens in particular has fun with her role as Despina, whose gleefully anarchic attitude towards romantic relationships makes her the opera’s most entertaining character. Special commendation should also go to Williams who handles the role of Fiordiligi with assurance – and it is a role which, at least according to one story, Mozart made deliberately difficult.
The story goes that Mozart did not like the prima donna who was to play Fiordiligi (she was also, incidentally, librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte’s mistress) and he determined to include leaps from high to low notes, so that her head would “bob like a chicken” on stage. Williams avoids any such gallinaceous bobbing here. If you can put the problematic aspects of the libretto to one side, Così fan tutte is enormous fun and Opera Australia has staged it with typical aplomb.
Così fan tutte, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sydney Opera House
Conductor: Zoe Zeniodi
Director: David McVicar
Revival Director: Andy Morton
Set and Costume Designer: Moritz Junge
Lighting Designer: David Finn
Cast: Nardus Williams, Helen Sherman, Nathan Lay, Filipe Manu, Alexandra Oomens, Richard Anderson
Opera Australia Chorus
Opera Australia Orchestra
Tickets: from $79
Così fan tutte will be performed until 17 August 2024.
