We’re thrilled to be reuniting with our long-standing friends at Opera Project for a brand new production of Così fan tutte – one of Mozart’s most surprising, playful and poignant operas. As we prepare to go on sale soon for this bold and beautiful work, Opera Project’s Music Director Jonathan Lyness shares his insights into why Così remains such a compelling piece – and why it’s the perfect follow-up to last year’s The Marriage of Figaro.
Così fan tutte will run at TFT from 08 – 18 October. Tickets will go on sale to Members on Monday 2 June at 10am.
Così fan tutte is the perfect opera to follow on from The Marriage of Figaro. Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte collaborated on three extraordinary masterpieces in the space of just 3 years – The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. The last (and only) time we performed Così at TFT was on our first visit to the theatre in 2003. In those days Così was part of our staple repertoire and it’s amazing to have the opportunity to revisit it.
Like Figaro, Così is essentially another comedy, but as with all three Mozart / da Pontes (as we term them in the business) there is serious human drama, turmoil and conflict at its heart. Two sisters are engaged to two officers. An old ‘Don’ makes a flippant remark to the officers that women are typically unfaithful and fickle! This sets in motion a crazy bet, that the officers could, in disguise, seduce each other’s fiancée. In no genre other than opera could such a scenario have any credibility. But in Così we are asked to suspend our disbelief, put aside our moral objection, and just go with it!
Così is, without doubt, THE opera for vocal ensembles, with differing characters portraying their own feelings simultaneously, and often overwhelmingly. The famous Act 1 Trio “Soave sia il vento / May breezes blow gently” is often considered the most beautiful and moving piece of music Mozart ever wrote. With its ‘over the top’ hysteria and ridiculous comedy, Act 1’s inevitable symmetry (two sisters, two lovers) is broken in Act 2 as we witness, with jaws dropped, the consequences of the mens’ unconscionable bet. And at the end it is never clear exactly what has happened! After all, what can happen, after such events? Mozart and da Ponte weren’t clear, and I suspect many an audience member won’t be clear either. A great subject for post-show drinks in TFT’s bar 😉
Tickets for Così fan tutte go on sale to TFT Members on Monday 2nd of June at 10am.
Tickets for general sale will be available on Wednesday 4th of June at 10am.
To become a member of TFT, and to guarantee the best seats in the house for Così fan tutte, please click here.
Posted on 27 May 2025
