by Mozart
[This synopsis, like my others, is very, very brief. The reason is that I find the normal programme note much too long, and needlessly detailed and complicated. What I want is more of an overview. If I’ve read an overview – a sort of synopsis of a synopsis – I find that, particularly with the help of surtitles, there is then absolutely no need for a blow-by-blow description of the plot.]
The Italian Cosi fan Tutte means “This is what all women do” and the story is about the fickleness of women. (It’s important to spell tutte correctly; spelt tutti it means “all men”.)
There are two couples: Ferrando and Dorabella, madly in love with each other; and Guglielmo and Fiordiligi, also madly in love with each other.
The sceptical Don Alfonso persuades the men to enter into a bet with him, that he can show that the women are in fact fickle. They agree to the bet.
The men (who are soldiers) pretend to be called off to the wars. They then return under heavy disguise as “Albanians”, with the intention of trying (they hope unsuccessfully) to seduce the other’s lover.
At first, the women reject their advances and the men think that they are winning. But then, the maid Despina (who is in on the plot) gets involved and they adopt a more dramatic approach. The Albanians pretend to be poisoned. Despina in disguise cures them. They plead to the women, but the women still remain firm.
Then Despina encourages the women to be more bold. First Dorabella succumbs to Guglielmo and (perhaps unwisely) gives him a token given to her by Ferrando with his picture on it. Then Ferrando succeeds in seducing Fiordiligi. Don Alfonso has won the bet.
Don Alfonso and Despina start to arrange a fake wedding for the new couples, with Despina dressed up as a notary. But then the men return undisguised. All is revealed and all is forgiven.
Kommentarer