Programs · Episode

MOZART: Così fan tutte

Program: At the Opera
Aired: Saturday, November 10, 2018 @ 6:00 pm
Hosted by Lisa Simeone

Deceptively complex, this comic farce leaves many listeners feeling a bit queasy.  Lorenzo da Ponte's libretto revolves around lightweight jokes and an elaborate prank, but in tandem with Mozart's music the trickery also reminds us that even our most cherished relationships can quickly turn fragile, and tenuous.  The recordings we'll hear on At the Opera include one from the acclaimed Mozart cycle by conductor René Jacobs, with soprano Veronique Gens; and one led by Charles Mackerras, with soprano Felicity Lott.

FEATURED RECORDINGS:

René Jacobs, conductor
Concerto Köln, Köln Kammerchor
CAST: Véronique Gens (Fiordiligi); Bernarda Fink (Dorabella); Werner Güra (Ferrando); Marcel Boone (Guglielmo); Pietro Spagnoli (Don Alfonso); Graciela Oddone (Despina)
(Harmonia Mundi 951663.65)

Charles Mackerras, conductor Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Edinburgh Festival Chorus
CAST: Felicity Lott (Fiordiligi); Marie McLaughlin (Dorabella); Jerry Hadley (Ferrando); Alesandro Corbelli (Guglielmo); Gilles Cachemille (Don Alfonso); Nuccia Focile
(Despina) (Telarc 80360)

MORE ABOUT THE OPERA:

Remember what it was like to be a teenager in love? How it seemed like it could never possibly end? How you and your "steady" were so right together that you couldn't even imagine being apart?

Now think back to what it was like when the object of that love, your perfect soulmate, threw you over for someone else. Painful, right? Almost too painful to bear — or at least that's how it seemed at the time.

When we get older, it's easy to look back on our lovesick youth with amusement. We wonder at how losing that long-ago boyfriend or girlfriend could have seemed so important, and how the loss could have been so devastating. But we still remember how it felt, and with age and experience we realize that when grown-up relationships break down, the pain can be even worse. Maybe that's why Mozart's outwardly comic masterpiece Così fan tutte also presents as a cautionary tale — leaving us holding on to our hearts, uncertain where the romantic winds might blow.

Over time, the mixed emotions Così evokes have led to criticism of the opera. The problem, some contend, is that sentiments the libretto states glibly are heard in music so deeply stirring that the words and the score seem at odds with each other. Perhaps that's true enough — but in this instance, it may also be entirely appropriate.

In fact, any emotional disparity between words and music may be exactly what Mozart had in mind, as a way of making sure this unlikely story hits its mark. Deep down, Così fan tutte provides a sharp reminder of how often the true depth of our feelings is sadly contradicted by clumsy statements and predictable actions. Mozart's opera also does something even more profound: It bluntly reminds us that our most cherished relationships can often be fragile and tenuous, and in doing so it shines a harsh light on the barest of our vulnerabilities.

On this edition of At the Opera, host Lisa Simeone helps explore Mozart's Così fan tutte in two brilliant recordings of the opera. One is from the acclaimed cycle of Mozart opera recordings by conductor René Jacobs. His Così is from 1999 and features a cast including soprano Veronique Gens, mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink, and tenor Werner Güra. We'll also sample a recording made in 1993 at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, with Charles Mackerras leading the Scottish chamber orchestra, and a cast featuring Felicity Lott, Marie McLaughlin and Jerry Hadley.

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