Often misunderstood as less humorous than Figaro and less dramatic than Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte is perhaps more a music lover's opera than an opera lover's opera, owing in no small part to its undeniably sublime score. A sympathetic mise en scène of the complexity of human relationships stripped of sentimental excess, the work's true comedy comes from Mozart's playful mocking of the heightened, frivolous passions of opera seria—even as he crafted moments of fiery bravura, as in the arias of Fiordiligi, and moments of veritably Romantic beauty like the unforgettable trio Soave sia il vento.
In this new production by the Bayerische Staatsoper, directed by Benedict Andrews, the attention falls precisely on the outsized exuberance of the characters' feelings. Conductor Vladimir Jurowski directs the always impeccable Bavarian State Orchestra, while a dream cast brings out the beauty of Mozart's melodies and Da Ponte's libretto, including soprano Louise Alder in the coveted role of Fiordiligi.
Christian Gerhaher appears courtesy of Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment.
Photo © Wilfried Hösl
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