Cosi fan Tutte

By Mozart
Grand Theatre of Geneva
Phillipe Jordan, conductor
Performers listed below


Lorenzo Da Ponte had many examples to draw from when he wrote the libretto for Mozart's COSI FAN TUTTE. Similar stories had been told in ancient Greece, in Chinese folklore, and by Shakespeare. Yet, the plot doesn't seem like it would hold up all that well. I mean, how plausible is it that two men could disguise themselves and then seduce each other's lovers, with the women having no clue as to what's going on? Completely unbelievable, right? Yet, with Mozart's COSI, as with many great operas, the plot doesn't need to be believable to be effective -- even disturbing.

On occasion, COSI has been criticized for what some misguided listeners seem to think is an artistic contradiction: the way the straightforward, often common sentiments found in Da Ponte's libretto are expressed by Mozart through such profound and stirring music. But think about it. How often do you find yourself saying something that is severely contradicted by your actual feelings - especially when discussing a relationship? And this certainly is a "relationship opera."

So, the seeming contradiction between COSI's libretto and music is simply Mozart's brilliant way of introducing reality to an unlikely story. The whole thing shapes up as a sharp reminder of how often the true depth of our feelings for someone can be sadly contradicted by our meager statements and predictable actions. And the opera does something else that may be even more profound: It bluntly reminds us of the fragile and tenuous nature of our most cherished relationships, while shining a harsh light on the barest of our vulnerabilities.

And you thought COSI FAN TUTTE was just a comic farce? Join us this week on NPR WORLD OF OPERA, with host Steve Curwood, and you'll never think so again. Of course, for more insight into one of the most complexly beautiful of all operas, there's also AT THE OPERA, with Lou Santacroce, half-an-hour before curtain time.

Performers:
Fionnuala McCarthy (Fiordiligi); Marie-Ange Todorovitch (Dorabella); Jeannette Fischer (Despina); Rainer Trost (Ferrando); Mariusz Kwiecien (Guglielmo); Pietro Spagnoli (Don Alfonso)

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