Mozart cannot be held totally
responsible for the absurdities of the plot of this delightful "chamber
opera", because the libretto was the work of Lorenzo Da Ponte, an
interesting character in his own right; he was an Italian Jew who converted to
Catholicism, changed his name, moved to Vienna, and ended his days in New York
as a naturalised American. Cosi Fan Tutte, which appears to have come from
nowhere but Da Ponte's own head, has caused justifiable angst in modern times,
with its suggestion that women are fickle and easily led astray.
Act 1. Various locations
in Naples
Guglielmo and Fernando are two
army officers who are madly in love with two sisters, Fiordiligi and Dorabella,
and they are firmly convinced that their passion is reciprocated by the ladies
in question. Their acquaintance Don Alfonso, an older, wordly-wise man,
questions their confidence and lays a bet that the girlfriends would turn their
affections elsewhere given half a chance, not because of who they are but
merely because they are women. The men agree to allow Don Alfonso two days to
prove his point, if he can.
Don Alfonso visits the sisters
and tells them that the soldiers have been called away on army duties and must
leave immediately. The couples meet and say their farewells, with many
assurances of everlasting fidelity, to the grim amusement of Don Alfonso.
The Don has recruited Despina,
the maid of the two sisters, into the plot, and she now announces that two
foreign gentlemen have turned up and wish to be introduced to them. Having had
just enough time for a quick offstage change and the slapping on of unlikely
facial hair, the men now appear as a pair of Albanians to pay court to the
sisters. Apparently falling deeply in love with their hostesses at first sight,
the men are rebuffed and pretend to take poison. Despina, now disguised as a
doctor, rushes onstage to restore them to life.
Act 2. The next day
The thwarted
"Albanians" don't let up, and soon find that they are making headway,
with the two soldiers paying court to each other's real-life girlfriend. This
may of course prove nothing more than that Fiordiligi really wishes that her
man was a tenor and not a bass, but no matter. Dorabella even goes so far as to
give her new lover a locket containing a portrait of her "former"
boyfriend, which seems like a strange thing to do.
You might have thought that the
two men who are, after all, wanting to prove Don Alfonso wrong, would back off
at this point, but no way! They now demand that a lawyer be produced to draw up
marriage contracts. This is speed dating with a vengeance! The lawyer turns out
to be Despina in another disguise (she's a soprano, by the way). The contracts
are drawn up and a banquet prepared.
At this point Don Alfonso turns
up to announce that the brave soldiers are on their way back (it was a very
short war) and will arrive at any moment. The "Albanians" clear off
and, another quick change later, re-appear as Guglielmo and Fernando, who find
that their lovers of only the previous day have been prepared to marry two
perfect strangers within 24 hours of their first meeting.
As this is the world of light
opera, and not a divorce court, it is no problem to set these little matters to
rights, and soon everyone is friends again. The reason for the men not to be
angry with the women is, and this is the real clincher, because women can't
help themselves from acting in such a way. In the words of the opera's title,
Cosi Fan Tutte, "thus do they all"!
Yes, this is an absurd plot
that not only makes a morally dubious claim, and the sexist suggestion that men
are more constant than women, but is also full of holes if you examine it too
closely. To enjoy this opera today you really have to forget about the story
and just drink in the music!
© John Welford
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