Cosi Fan Tutte: The Details Make The Opera
As a first time opera goer, I did not know what to expect as I entered the lavish Metropolitan Opera House located at Lincoln Center. It was November 9, 2010 and I was about to watch Cosi Fan Tutte, a well-known opera with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Not having much knowledge of what operas entail, I entered the building hoping that Cosi Fan Tutte would capture my interest and leave me with an enchanting effect- and it did.
The title of the opera can be translated to “All women act like that.” It had a simple premise, revolving around Don Alfonso (played by baritone Wolfgang Holzmair) trying to prove to two younger soldiers that just like all other women, their lovers will not always stay faithful. Ferrando (tenor Pavol Breslik) and Guglielmo (baritone Nathan Gunn) agree to do everything the cynical man asks of them for one day in order to prove that their girls will remain loyal. A bet is made. The real plot begins when Fiordiligi (soprano Miah Persson) and Dorabella (mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard) are told that the men are being sent off to their regiment. With the help of the girls’ sneaky maid Despina (soprano Danielle de Niese,) Don Alfonso compels the young men (now disguised as Albanians) to seduce each other’s fiancées. The girls are difficult to win over at first, but the men are eventually successful. Even though the men lose the wager, Don Alfonso reveals that true happiness lies in accepting things the way they are.
The production had many aspects worthy of praise. First of all, the portrayal of the storyline left each audience member satisfied. If you wanted a light-hearted and comical performance, all you had to do was focus on the humorous actions of the singers onstage and the playful way in which they reacted to one another. If you expected some darker and more meaningful overtones, you just directed your attention to one of the profound moments, such as when Fiordiligi is desperately trying to remain faithful but ends up failing. The singers were all obviously well trained and threw themselves into their respective roles with complete dedication. I found the arias particularly compelling, as each singer’s character had a very unique personality that they were able to portray magnificently when singing alone. Also, a lot of thought must have gone into casting the singers, for their voices meshed together especially well. In particular, I found that the voices of Persson and Leonard blended effortlessly, casting a spell on the ears of their listeners. Furthermore, de Niese deserves applause for her role as Despina, an audience favorite. Her soprano voice seemed tailor-made for her crafty and colorful character. She also displayed her versatility when she comically altered her voice for the part of the fake doctor and the fake notary. In addition to their undeniable musical talent, all of the performers were fit and attractive- nothing like the stereotypical opera singers.
With such a first-rate cast, the opera was sure to be good. But what made it great was the attention given to all of the details. The sets were not complicated, but their brightness and tastefulness made audience members wish they could be pulled into the world being created onstage. The décor was stylish and the costumes were very realistic. A commitment to detail could also be seen in the body actions of the singers. Not only did they sing their parts, they acted them out too. The exaggerated body movements told their own story and cleared up whatever the audience may not have understood. Innovative humor was inserted into many parts and successfully spiced up the opera. Two such moments were when Despina came onto the stage hauling the set and when Don Alfonso, impatient with the lovers’ displays of affection, sat fiddling his thumbs and emptying sand from his shoe.
I wish I could say this opera had no faults, but the conducting of William Christie, who was making his Metropolitan Opera debut, was a bit of a disappointment. Many audience members, even those with not much musical knowledge, realized that Christie was pushing the orchestra to play at breakneck speeds. At times, it seemed as if he and the singers were engaged in a race. Maybe he wanted to add in an element of excitement or maybe his nerves were acting up, but the singers should have been given a comfortable speed at which they could perform their best. Hopefully as Christie gets accustomed to his new role as conductor of Cosi Fan Tutte, he will be able to provide the opera with the solid musical foundation that it truly deserves.
Well done