February 17. 2018 - March 16. 2018

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February 17. 2018 - March 16. 2018

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Così fan tutte

Subtitled “The School for Lovers,” this beloved Mozart comedy is a probing look into romantic relationships. It starts out with a cynical philosopher’s bet that two beautiful young women can’t remain faithful to their fiancés for 24 hours. As the intrigue deepens, the young women’s affections—and those of the young men—move into a new place that’s risky and scary. The couples’ feelings reveal themselves through the sheer genius of Mozart and his brilliant librettist, Da Ponte. Così fan tutte is the epitome of sophisticated, thought-provoking entertainment.

Language: Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Running Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes with 1 intermission
Location: Lyric Opera House

Così fan tutte videos

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Mozart's Così fan tutte at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Subtitled “The School for Lovers,” this beloved Mozart comedy is a probing look into romantic relationships.

Andrew Stenson on Così fan tutte

Tenor Andrew Stenson talks about what Mozart's Così fan tutte has to offer to today's audience.

Marianne Crebassa on Così fan tutte

Mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa talks about what Mozart's Così fan tutte has to offer to today's audience. Come and see for yourself in Lyric Opera's production.

Joshua Hopkins on Così fan tutte

Baritone Joshua Hopkins talks about what Mozart's Così fan tutte has to offer to today's audience.

Joshua Hopkins invites you to Mozart's Così fan tutte

Baritone Joshua Hopkins invites you to see him and a star-studded cast in Lyric Opera's production of Mozart's comedy, Così fan tutte.

Così fan tutte

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Warner Classics recording — Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Kraus, cond. Böhm.
Musical excerpts provided through a generous arrangement with Warner Classics, Official Education and Promotion Music Provider for Lyric Opera of Chicago.

“Una bella serenata”

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“Alla bella Despinetta”

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“Prenderò quel brunettino”

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Così fan tutte

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2017/18 Lyric Opera Commentaries Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of Warner Music Group. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women’s Board

Commentary by Nicholas Ivor Martin

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Così fan tutte Articles

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Così fan tutte: Mozart's Delightful Battle of the Sexes On Deck This Winter

Lyric is excited to bring this favorite to life with a star cast of today's brightest talent, including the two central couples who will keep the laughs coming and the arias soaring.

The Miracle of Così fan tutte

What does Così fan tutte, a work that premiered nearly 230 years ago, have to say to a contemporary audience? We asked Joshua Hopkins.

Così fan tutte Reviews

A romantic comedy for the ages, Mozart's Così fan tutte is sure to school you on love. See what critics are saying about this simple bet that puts love to the test.

Synopsis

Two young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, make a wager with their older, cynical friend Don Alfonso that their fiancées, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, can remain faithful for 24 hours. In a musical diversion that involves mischief, mustaches, and mistaken identities, Così fan tutte explores the complexities of love, with laughter and a little heartbreak in this bittersweet comedy.

TIME: August 1914
PLACE: A hotel at a Mediterranean resort

Don Alfonso is trying to enlighten Ferrando and Guglielmo as to the true nature of women. He places a bet that he can prove their fiancées, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are not the icons of purity the men believe them to be. Both sides are confident of victory within twenty-four hours.

Sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella are celebrating the perfection of their lovers. Don Alfonso arrives and tells them that their men have been called up and must leave immediately for the battlefront. The men enact a farewell scene and “go off to war.” The women are devastated, but the maid Despina tells them to look on the bright side and have a good time in their absence – in other words, behave exactly as men would.

Don Alfonso and Despina work together to this end. Don Alfonso introduces two Albanian friends whom Despina in turn introduces to the sisters. None of the three women penetrate the disguises of Ferrando and Guglielmo. Fiordiligi and Dorabella are offended to see the strange men and repelled by their advances. They declare fidelity to their lovers. The young men are delighted, but Don Alfonso is quite relaxed.

The sisters continue to grieve. The two rejected strangers return to them, swallow “poison” and collapse. The terrified girls call for Despina, who goes with Don Alfonso to find a doctor. Fiordiligi and Dorabella try to help the “dying” strangers. Don Alfonso returns with Despina disguised as a doctor who claims to cure everything by magnetism. The men revive, and believing they are in heaven, demand a kiss from their “angels” Fiordiligi and Dorabella. The sisters manage to resist again.
Despina persuades the sisters to befriend their new admirers. They decide on preferences — Dorabella chooses Guglielmo; Fiordiligi, Ferrando. Each has instinctively chosen the other’s partner. Don Alfonso and Despina cement the new love affairs in the context of a masquerade. The couples pair up and Dorabella yields to Guglielmo. Fiordiligi rejects Ferrando, for the time being. Ferrando and Guglielmo exchange notes on their progress. Ferrando is furious, and Guglielmo is triumphant but brutally dismissive of the fallen Dorabella.

Despina and Dorabella put pressure on Fiordiligi. Fiordiligi decides she must run away to join Guglielmo at war, but Ferrando confronts her again and she too yields. Agonized, Guglielmo witnesses it all. Don Alfonso has proven his point and won the bet.

Don Alfonso and Despina arrange for the new couples to be “married” by Despina disguised as a notary. As the girls sign their names, a military band is heard. Apparently the soldiers have returned unexpectedly. In the confusion, the two men disappear, re-emerging without their disguises. Shocked at the evidence of a wedding they swear vengeance on their rivals.

The plot is revealed. All four lovers’ certainties have been destroyed. No one quite knows what to feel, except that certainly human nature has been at work.

Program book

Go inside this production of Così fan tutte with engaging articles, notes from the director, a complete plot synopsis, artist bios, and more.

View Digital Program Book

Meet the artists

Ana María Martínez

Fiordiligi

Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez is Lyric's cultural ambassador.

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Marianne Crebassa

Dorabella

The French mezzo-soprano has dazzled at Lyric in roles like Rosina/The Barber of Seville and Dorabella/Così fan tutte.

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Andrew Stenson

Ferrando

American tenor Andrew Stenson is a winner of a Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation and a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation, Stenson was a major award winner in the Opera Index competition and second-prize winner in both the Queen Sonja International Vocal Competition and the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competition.

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Joshua Hopkins

Guglielmo

Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins is international recognized as one of the finest singer-actors of his generation.

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Alessandro Corbelli

Don Alfonso

The Turin-born baritone has presented his acclaimed Bartolo in many major houses (recently Glyndebourne and San Francisco Opera).

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Elena Tsallagova

Despina

Lyric soprano Elena Tsallagova made her U.S. debut as Despina in Lyric's 2018 production of Così fan tutte

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James Gaffigan

Conductor

American conductor James Gaffigan conducted Don Giovanni (2019|20) and Così fan tutte (2017|18) at Lyric Opera.

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Bruno Ravella

Revival Director

Director Bruno Ravella's Lyric credits include Così fan tutte (2017|18) and Ariadne auf Naxos (2011/12)

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John Cox

Original Director

The internationally celebrated director began his professional career in opera at Glyndebourne in 1959 and has directed five productions at Lyric since 1994/95.

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Robert Perdziola

Designer

Set and Costume Designer Robert Perdziola's Lyric credits include five productions since 1998|99

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Chris Maravich

Lighting Designer

Chris Maravich, Lighting Director, has been with Lyric Opera since 2014

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Michael Black

Chorus Master

Michael Black has served Lyric Opera of Chicago since the 2013/14 Season.

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