Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” for the first time at Polish National Opera
Since the 1970 Viennese premiere of “Così fan tutte”, the opera has been surrounded by controversy due to a widespread belief that its libretto was frivolous, immoral and extremely misogynist. The plot was spun off a moral scandal that shook the salons of Paris and set the story in a controversial social context. In order to “save” Mozart’s music from the “mediocre” libretto, “Così” was often performed in a revised and edited form. Nowadays, the opera is staged in its unexpurgated version.
Lorenzo da Ponte’s libretto reflects on the nature of love, showing a number of stereotypes regarding femininity and masculinity. The main plot focuses on the intrigue of Don Alfonso and his younger companions, Ferrando and Guglielmo, who make an attempt to test the constancy of their fiancées.
Mozart’s opera in two acts will be shown for the first time on the stage of the Polish National Opera, with the opening night scheduled on March 15 and more shows lined up on March 17, 22, 24 as well as June 20, 22, 2024. The Chorus and Orchestra of the Polish National Opera will be conducted by Yaroslav Shemet. The cast features: Aleksandra Orłowska (Fiordiligi), Zuzanna Nalewajek (Dorabella), Łukasz Kózka and Pavlo Tolstoy (Ferrando), Hubert Zapiór (Guglielmo), Artur Janda (Don Alfonso), Anna Malesza-Kutny and Magdalena Stefaniak (Despina).
The director of the performance Wojciech Faruga offers a new perspective on “Così fan tutte”, moving the plot to the early 1970s America and setting it against the background of the Vietnam War, the presidency of Richard Nixon and the sexual revolution. Through the prism of love and war, Faruga explores topics related to social transformations and conventions, showing the characters as liberated rebels who disguise themselves as hippies (in da Ponte’s original, Albanians) and enter a dangerous game between fantasy and reality.