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INTRODUCTION
THE STORY 2
HUMAN WEAKNESS UNDERMINES THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
The faithlessness of women is the basis for a wager between three friends.
Disguised as Albanians, Ferrando and Guglielmo woo each other’s fiancées
with startling results.

THE GREAT PERFORMERS 10

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THE MUSIC
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AGNES BALTSA as Dorabella PROGRAMME NOTES
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© Fabbri Publishing Limited 1991, 1995

COSI FAN
TUTTE
MOZART’S MUSIC scten vic
‘universal’ in that it can transcend time and appeal to people of every culture
and period. This is particularly true of his operas, and of Cos?
Fan Tutte especially. Another of his great operatic CAST LIST
masterpieces, Cosi was Mozart’s last collaboration with FIORDILIGI
; , ; Sopre
librettist Lorenzo da Ponte (they also wrote Figaro and Don a
. ; . os 5. ani . DORABELLA
Giovanni together). It is a magical combination of marvellous Soprano- Fiordiligi’s sister
music and sparkling dialogue, GUGLIELMO
which achieves a_ perfect Bass: Fiordiligi’s fiance
balance between wit, satire ae
Tenor: Dorabella’s fiancé
and the sensitive portrayal DESPINA
of human emotions. These Soprano + Maid to Fiordiligi
and Dorabella
fine qualities have all
. . . DON ALFONSO
contributed to making it Bavione
as popular today as when | Sozpmrs- VitaGers « SERVANTS *
MUSICIANS
it was first performed in
the Vienna of 1790.
Cosi Fan Tutte — the title was a tavern
= catch-phrase (They all do it thus’) suffered a lean
patch in 19th-century Britain when da Ponte’s libretto was discarded
as too offensive for Victorian morality. New words and
plot were commissioned so often that Cos? has the
dubious distinction of having the greatest number of it
alternative titles of any opera. The most popular of
these is still the first, The School for Lovers.
Cos? is a triumph of comic opera at its very
best and most sophisticated. Wonderfully ~
musical, it is full of good spirits and open-hearted
acceptance of life’s pitfalls and human fallibility.
Audiences worldwide and of every age can (¢.,
respond to the beauty of Mozart’s melodies, the %
perceptive characterisations and the perfection of |
the composer’s and librettist’s sense for drama.
 € Opera opens with a brief
Dverture (TRACK 1) which,
[ slow, lyrical intro-
duction picks up pace* and
(1790) becomes light-hearted and
vivacious. The two. strands
SCENE 1 echo the mood of the opera —
an entrancing comedy with
strong emotions lurking just
beneath its bubbling surface.
As the curtain rises, the audience is treated to the
spectacle of three Neapolitan men seated at a café
table in the midst of a lively argument. The spritely
music gives their exchanges — which grow more
and more heated — a sense of the ridiculous. Two
young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo are in the
process of defending their mistresses’ reputation:
their friend and companion, the worldly and
cynical Don Alfonso, has accused all women of
being inconstant.

2 FAITHLESS WOMEN
Ferrando: La mia Dorabella capace
non é
My Dorabella couldn't; Heaven
ds faithful as she is beautiful.
Guglielmo: My Fiordiligi is unable to
betray me; I believe that ber constancy
and beauty are equal.
Don Alfonso: I have grey bair already:
I speak ‘ex cathedra
But let such arguments end here.
a
The hot-headed young men refuse to let the matter Above: The three
drop, demanding proof or (gripping their swords) men drink a toast to
the success of their
a duel! Don Alfonso laughs at their ‘simplicity’ and wager
made ber agrees to prove to them that their ‘goddesses’
Dorabella and Fiordiligi are like all other women
when it comes to faithfulness. ‘Let us wager,’ he
says merrily, and as the music joins him in his
mirth, the two young men each agree to bet a
hundred gold pieces on their woman's constancy.
‘Good for you!’ says Don Alfonso, and ‘Good for
you, Signor Don Alfonsetto!’ reply the two young
soldiers enthusiastically. They burst into a joyful
Trio, with Ferrando and Guglielmo anticipating
their winnings and the banquet they will lay on in
honour of the Goddess Venus! The curtain falls.
Left: Furious with
Don Alfonso -
The curtain rises to the gentle played by Walter
A GARDEN music that announces the Berry - for
suggesting their
presence of the two sisters, fiancées are fickle,
SCENE 2 Fiordiligi and Dorabella. In a
sentimental Duet, they gaze at
Ferrando - played
by John Aler - and
the portraits of their fiancés, Guglielmo - played
by William Shimell -
Ferrando and Guglielmo, in the lockets that they demand a duel.
wear and sing of their happiness: From the Royal
Opera House, 1986
production
3 LOVE'S REVERIE

Fiordiligi: Ah, guarda, sorella

Ab look, sister, can a bandsomer mouth,
Or a more noble appearance be found?

Dorabella: Osserva tu un poco

Observe for a moment,
Observe the fire in his glance:
Doesnt it seem to shoot
Flames, or arrows?
 THE STORY

As the sisters then chatter excitedly, Don Alfonso The curtain rises on an ele-
enters in a state of great distress. Anxiously, the THE gantly furnished room.
sisters ask him what has happened. ‘I'd like to A Despina, the sisters’ cheeky
speak,’ stammers Don Alfonso, ‘but I haven't SISTERS young maid, enters with
the heart.’ The sisters beg him to tell them what ROOM chocolate drinks for her
calamity has occurred, and Don Alfonso warns mistresses. Grumbling child-
them dramatically, ‘my children, you must arm SCENE 3 ishly to herself about a
yourselves with constancy’. Finally, he chambermaid’s life, she com-
unburdens himself of the dreadful news - plains that the taste of
secretly, he can’t wait to tell them. Their chocolate is reserved for the ladies, while she has
fiancés have been summoned to the field of to content herself with the aroma. Then, defiantly.
battle and must leave immediately! Fiordiligi she sneaks a taste — and is almost caught in the act
and Dorabella are utterly distraught. At their by the entrance of Fiordiligi and Dorabella.
insistence, Ferrando and Guglielmo (who have
Zz been waiting inside) are brought out to see
them and there follows an emotional farewell.
A drum-roll is heard in the distance — for a
military ship is departing that very day
(although Ferrando and Guglielmo have no
\ intention of being on it!) To the spritely tune of
a military march, a boat glides to the shore at
the far end of the garden, and a group of
soldiers and villagers pass
by singing of the joys of
military life. The lovers now
sing a beautiful and haunt-
ing farewell — while Don
Alfonso tries to conceal his
amusement. As the soldiers
sing their stirring chorus
once more, Ferrando and
Guglielmo take their leave
and climb into the boat
that awaits them.
As the two women turn
and watch the boat. sail With absurd tragic grandeur they collapse int
away, even Don Alfonso is their chairs. Despina demands to know what has
touched by their distress. happened. ‘Our lovers have left Naples! cries
Together they sing a Fiordiligi. ‘Is that all,’ says Despina, who has nc
gentle and moving Trio of time for sentimentality: like Don Alfonso, she has a
incredible musical beauty cynical view of life and love. One man is easily
and artistry: replaced by another, because all of them are
worthless. he sisters shouldn't waste their tim
Above: Don Alfonso
tries to conceal his
4 ) A SAFE JOURNEY crying, but should take new lovers to console
excitement as he themselves with. Fiordiligi and Dorabella are
breaks the news to stunned by her impertinence. ‘Don’t offend thus
Fiordiligi - played by Soave sia il vento lovely souls, examples of faithfulness anc
Karita Mattila - and
Dorabella - played
May the wind be gentle, immaculate love,’ Dorabella feebly protests. ‘Come
by Anne Sophie Von May the wave be calm come!’ says Despina mockingly and begins to sing
Otter - that their And may every element of the fickleness of men:
fiancés must leave Respond benignly to our wishes...
for the war. ROH,
1986
5 ) WORTHLESS MEN
The sisters depart and the mood changes abruptly.
Tm not a bad actor, alright,) Don Alfonso boasts —
Above right: Despina and then bitterly derides the poor men who have In uomini, in soldati
- played by Lillian
Watson - can’t resist gambled so much on the constancy of these To hope for faithfulness in men, in soldiers’
the temptation to women: ‘The man who bases his hopes on a Don't let people hear you, for heaven's sake
taste some of the woman's heart is... hoping to catch in a net the All men are made of the same stuff:
chocolate drink The swaying boughs, the fickle breezes
meant for her fickle wind.’ He leaves and, on this sour note, the
i: ROH, 1986 curtain falls. Have greater stability than men have
 harm is there in that?’ replies
Don Alfonso. He then emerges
and, to the sisters’ astonishment,
embraces the two strangers,
nudging them to play along
with the charade. Ferrando and
Guglielmo return his embraces
rather over enthusiastically and
Don Alfonso explains that
these two Albanians are the
dearest friends he has in the
world — and will soon be the
women’s friends, too!
The Albanians seize this oppor-
tunity to declare their love for
Fiordiligi and Dorabella — but
the sisters remain unmoved.
With righteous indignation,
Fiordiligi commands them to
leave at once; her faith and that of
her sister are already pledged.
Despina scuttles out of the room, alarmed by her
mistress’ mounting anger. Fiordiligi now bursts
into an aria ‘Come scoglio immoto resta’ CAs the
rock remains, unmoved’) (TRACK 6) which, with its
Above: Despina, They all depart and Don Alfonso enters the empty virtuoso and rather ungainly leaps from the top to
attracted by the room. The poor girls need consoling, he explains, the bottom of the soprano’s range, highlights the
prospect of a gold
coin, agrees to help
and help is at hand: their two fiancés are at that exaggerated nature of her moral indignation.
Don Alfonso moment disguising themselves, ready for the Guglielmo implores the women to hear the men’s
task... but there is one small detail that might sufferings and pity them, but Fiordiligi and
upset their plan. That ‘minx’ Despina might Dorabella respond by flouncing out of the room.
recognise Ferrando and Guglielmo — he must Left alone with Don Alfonso, Ferrando and
enlist her support. Guglielmo burst into fits of laughter. They believe
Don Alfonso goes to Despina’s room and knocks
on the door: she comes out and Don Alfonso tells
her that he would like her to introduce two
attractive young men to her mistresses ‘to console
them a little’ and that he will give her a gold coin
for her trouble. Despina has a weakness for gold —
and what's more, she is heartily irritated by the
silliness of her mistresses. But, first, she wants to
see whether the two young men are acceptable.
Don Alfonso ushers in Ferrando and Guglielmo,
who are both disguised as Albanians. Despina
laughs at their attire and their huge moustaches —
but, to Don Alfonso’s relief, she doesn’t recognise
them. Just at that moment, Fiordiligi and Dorabella
are heard, calling Despina. Don Alfonso hastily
conceals himself as the sisters come into the room.
They are amazed and incensed when they see the
Right: Ferrando - two young men. What possessed Despina to admit
played by Adrian
two strangers — especially in the present circum-
Martin and
Guglielmo - played stances. Despina and the Albanians fall to their
by Christopher knees and beg the sisters’ forgiveness: ‘See,
Booth-Jones - make languishing at your lovely feet, two wretches,
their first
appearance swains, who worship your merit.’ Fiordiligi and
disguised as Dorabella are furious at such insolence.
Albanians. From the Trying to discover what all the din is about, Don
English National
Opera, 1984 Alfonso calls out from his hiding place. ‘There are
production men in our house,’ calls back Dorabella. “What

14
that they have won the wager, and tell Don
Alfonso that he need pay them only half the gold if
he wants to call the bet off. But Don Alfonso tells
them that it is still early days — they should wait
until tomorrow. Ferrando then sings a beautiful aria
in which he declares that hope will sustain them:

7 > THE FOOD OF LOVE

Un’ aura amorosa del nostro tesoro

An amorous breath of our beloved
Will offer a sweet refreshment to our beart.
To the Heart which, nourished on love’s hope
in disguise. After gravely feeling Ferrando and Above: Pretending
Does not need a better bait
Guglielmo’s pulse, and muttering some’ Latin that they have taken
poison, the two
The two men leave and Despina enters. Together mumbo-jumbo, she produces a giant magnet and young men throw
she and Don Alfonso laugh at the fact that they places it on the men’s heads, then draws it gently themselves upon the
have come across the only two constant women in down their bodies! The sisters watch in amazement mercy of Fiordiligi -
played by Elaine
the world. ‘And how does Despina think this affair as the Albanians begin to stir. Soon, they are
Woods - and
will turn out?’ enquires Don Alfonso. ‘The crazy writhing with such vigour that they are in danger Dorabella - played by
girls will do as we wish,’ says Despina with relish, of smashing their skulls on the ground. Despina Delia Wallis. From
still unaware of the Albanians’ true identity. ‘Leave tells the sisters to hold the men’s foreheads up! the Welsh National
Opera, 1985 production
it to me... I’ve already led a thousand men up the As Ferrando and Guglielmo come round and
garden path. I can surely manage a couple of stagger to their feet, they pretend that they are in
women. She instructs Don Alfonso to bring the the realms of the gods and, in their delirium,
two ‘Messrs Moustaches’ to her immediately, using tenderly kiss and embrace Fiordiligi and Dorabella,
the little gateway at the back. Before tomorrow singing ‘Dove son? Che loco 6 questo? “Where am I?
dawns, she crows, they will all be celebrating What place is this?’) (TRACK 8).
victory! The curtain falls. The sisters virtuously recoil from the men’s
embraces, while Don Alfonso and Despina assure
The curtain rises on a garden them that this is due to the effects of the poison.
I0503 which stretches down to the Ferrando and Guglielmo can hardly contain their
shore of the Bay of Naples. glee at their fiancée’s dignified behaviour. In a daz-
SISTERS’ Fiordiligi and Dorabella are zling finale, they implore Fiordiligi and Dorabella
GARDEN seated together, comforting to give them a kiss while Don Alfonso and Despina
each other in their time of urge them to humour the men.
torment. Their duet is sud-
SCENE 4 denly interrupted by the 9 > JUST ONE KISS
cries of the two Albanians
who rush into the garden, each clutching a phial of
poison, crying ‘let us die! let us die!’ Don Alfonso Ferrando/Guglielmo: Dammi un
follows close on their heels, shouting ‘don't do it! bacio, o mio tesoro
Oh God, don’t do it! But his pleas are to no avail. Give me a kiss, O my treasure,
Ferrando and Guglielmo swig the contents of the A single kiss, or I'll die here.
phials and, as the poison begins to overpower Fiordiligi/Dorabella: Heavens! A kiss?
them, they call on the two women to have pity on Despina/Don Alfonso: Humour them, out
their desperate love. of kindness.
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are overcome with
horror and call out urgently for Despina’s Fiordiligi/Dorabella: Ab, che troppo si
assistance. The maid enters and declares that the richiede
expiring Albanians must be helped. Telling the Ah, too much ts asked
sisters to support their heads ‘with pitying hands’, Of an honest, loyal mistress;
she and Don Alfonso rush off to find a doctor. My faithfulness is outraged,
Left alone with the two unhappy young men, the This heart is outraged.
sisters begin to soften. Who, after all, could
abandon them in such ‘grievous moments’? And, The sisters tell them angrily to go to the devil! But
besides, their looks are. after all, quite ‘interesting’. their outrage does not ring quite true, and Despina
Their musings are disturbed by the return of Don and Don Alfonso comment darkly that ‘all that fire
Alfonso with the doctor — who is, in fact, Despina will change into the fire of love! The curtain falls.
 IR ei3
fhe
Despina
curtain

her mistresses
rises
impatiently
to
to

task.
reveal
taking
‘Are
11) ) SISTERS’ CHOICE
“
ISTERS you women or not?’ she asks. Dorabella: Prendero quel brunettino
HOUSE And if they are, why don't Til take the little dark one,
they act like women? Beau- Who seenis wittier to me
SCENE 1 tiful and fashionable ladies
may = be able to get along Fiordiligi: And, meanwhile, with the blond
without love — but not with- one I want to laugh and joke a little
out lovers! If it’s scandal they're worried about, she
can invite the Albanians back under the pretence Their light-hearted banter is interrupted by Don
that they are her ‘swains’. ‘And then? asks Alfonso who announces that a brilliant spectacle is
Dorabella. ‘Are you of flesh and blood or what are awaiting them in the garden. The curtain falls.
you?’ flashes back Despina in exasperation. She
then boasts of her own cunning in a lively aria: The curtain rises on a section Right: In a confusion
of emotions,
of the garden lying just by the
Fiordiligi - played by
A CHAMBERMAID'S AT THE seashore, with grassy seats Elizabeth Connell -
10 WILES SEASHORE
and two stone tables. At the
landing stage there is a little
sings a dazzling aria.
From the Royal
Opera House, 1984
boat decked out with flowers production
Una donna a quindici anni
A woman at the age of 15, SCENE 2 in which the two Albanians
gaily stand, in the company of
Must know whatever's fashionable,
a band of singers and
Where the devil hides his tail,
musicians. Fiordiligi, Dorabella, Despina and Don
What is good and what is bad. Alfonso look on in amazement as Ferrando and
Guglielmo sing a serenade.
The serenade over, the love-
sick Albanians, with much
prompting from Despina and
Don Alfonso, begin to talk of love
with Fiordiligi and Dorabella.
Their attempts ‘are so painfully
inadequate that Don Alfonso and
Despina ruthlessly step in and
stage manage the love-scene
themselves. They even put the
Left: Despina -
words into Ferrando — and played by Lillian
Guglielmo’s mouths, so that the Watson and
men’s Duet becomes a Quartet! Dorabella - played
by Ann Murray - try
Then, having thrust the lovers
to persuade a
towards each other they hurry reluctant Fiordiligi
away, leaving them to talk about that there is no
the weather and the scenery! harm in a little mild
flirtation. ROH, 1984
Ferrando leads Fiordiligi aside
and Dorabella suggests that she
and Guglielmo take a stroll, too.
Ferrando and Guglielmo are now
left alone with each other's
fiancée! Dorabella’s heart — is
already aflutter, and left alone
with Guglielmo she succumbs to his charms. When
Dorabella is quickly won round to the view that
he offers her a little locket, she accepts it — not
they would not really be doing anything wrong if
recognising it as the locket that Ferrando had once
they decided to see the two Albanians again. ‘But
our hearts.” protests Fiordiligi. ‘They remain what given her. Guglielmo is horrified and when
they are,’ replies Dorabella. ‘Enjoying ourselves a Dorabella joyously accepts his love, he mutters
little, and not dying of melancholy isn’t betraying sadly to himself ‘Unhappy Ferrando!’ Their frothy
our word,’ The sisters then decide which of the Duet ‘i core vi dono, bell’ idolo mio’ C1 give you
Albanians they want for their partner. Dorabella, as my heart, my lovely idol)/Me’? date. lo prendo’
it turns out, has already decided and there follows CYou give me it, I take it’) (TRACK 12), is one of
a delightful Duet: Mozart's most charming confections.

6
 THE STORY

that he will tear Dorabella’s heart from her wicked

breast, and avenge himself. But Guglielmo re-
strains him. As Ferrando’s rage dissolves into
misery, he implores Guglielmo to have pity on him
and give him some advice. This is the cue for
Guglielmo to sing a delightful comic aria addressed
to womankind:

1 4 A HABIT OF DECEPTION

Donne mie, la fate a tanti e tanti

My dear women, you take in so many men
That, ifI must tell you the truth
When lovers complain
1 begin to sympathise with them. . Below: Guglielmo
shows Ferrando the
locket he gave
Ferrando listens, his heart torn asunder by his Dorabella as a token
conflicting feelings. When Don Alfonso enters, of undying love
As Guglielmo swiftly removes Ferrando’s portrait Ferrando tells him to leave him alone: “You are the
and puts the heart-shaped locket on Dorabella, she cause of my misery.’ Guglielmo cannot resist rub-
sings ‘O happy exchange of hearts and affections’. bing salt into the wound by speculating whether
They go off arm-in-arm and Fiordiligi enters in he is perhaps of a littke more worth than Ferrando
great agitation, pursued by the blond Albanian, and asking for his half of the winnings. But Don
Ferrando. Alfonso asks him to be patient — he has one more
Fiordiligi’s heart is not so easily won. She flees experiment to try. The hapless
Ferrando’s advances, crying ‘I’ve seen an asp, a Guglielmo will be shown that
hydra, a basilisk!’ She implores Ferrando to stop he, too, shouldn’t count
molesting her and leave her in peace. But as he his chickens before
departs, she admits to herself that her heart is in they've hatched!
turmoil: her ardour no longer springs from a ‘he curtain falls.
‘virtuous love’ — it is the effect of ‘rage, suffering,
remorse, repentance, fickleness, perfidy and
betrayal!’ She sings a famous aria — the great Rondo
(a musical piece with a strong recurring theme) —
which, with its dazzling display of technique, is the
showpiece of the opera:

1 3 FIORDILIGI'S REMORSE

Per pietd, ben mio, perdona

Have pity, my love, forgive
The error ofa loving spirit;
Among these shadows and these trees,
Ob God. it will always remain hidden.

Svenera quest’ empia voglia

My courage, my constancy
Will sever this wicked desire;
It will lose the memory
That shames and horrifies me.

She leaves in despair and Ferrando and Guglielmo

enter. ‘We've won,’ cries Ferrando triumphantly,
‘Fiordiligi is chastity personified’. But Guglielmo
has bad news for Ferrando concerning his
Dorabella. He shows Ferrando the portrait that he
has taken from the locket, and Ferrando is
absolutely furious. He melodramatically declares
 As the curtain rises, Dorabella
THE is confiding to Despina that
she couldn't resist falling for
SISTERS’ her Albanian. But, when
HOUSE Fiordiligi enters it is clear that
she doesn't share her sister’s
SCENE 3 happiness, She is in a terrible
state of agitation — because
she is in love — and her love
isn't only for her fiancé Guglielmo. Despina and
Dorabella are thrilled: ‘Here: seventy thousand
kisses!’ cries Dorabella, ‘You have the blond. I, the
dark one. And here both of us are brides! But
Fiordiligi is full of remorse and totally bewildered
by her own change of heart. Left alone, for a
moment. she decides that she must make one last
attempt to save herself from this shame — by
disguising herself and Dorabella Gif she wishes) in
some old uniforms of Guglielmo’s and Ferrando’s
to join their betrothed on the battlefield.
Don Alfonso and the Albanians, however, have
been listening at the door. As Fiordiligi exchanges
her headdress for a soldier’s hat, Ferrando bursts
into the room and they sing a passionate Duet:
Ferrando’s arms. They leave together, and Don
Alfonso enters the room with a devastated
Guglielmo. As he angrily showers Fiordiligi with
insults (Minx! Murderess! Wretch!...’), the relentless
Don Alfonso says to the audience ‘Let’s let him
unburden himself...’ Only he seems unaware that
the game has gone too far — too many emotions
have been laid bare.
Ferrando enters and smugly addresses
Guglielmo: ‘Well?? — what does he make of his
Fiordiligi now? My ‘Fior di diavolo’ devil’) curses
Guglielmo — but rather than torment each other
why doesn’t Ferrando help him think of a way to
punish their fiancées? ‘Marry them,’ interrupts
Don Alfonso, After all, they are no worse than any
other women. In a short solo, he explains that he
excuses rather than accuses women if they
change their love, because ‘Cos? fan tutte’) ‘all
women behave thus’). Ferrando and Guglielmo
join him in repeating the opera’s famous motto —
‘Cosi fan tutte!
Despina comes in and tells the Albanians that
they have triumphed — her mistresses have agreed
to marry them. A notary is waiting, together with
the ladies, in their chamber. So, let the ceremony

15) ): LOVE'S SURRENDER begin! The curtain falls. Above: Despina,

disguised as a
notary ‘reads’ the
The curtain rises on a
Fiordiligi: Fra gli amplessi in marriage contract
A RICHLY- splendid room which has
pochi istanti been decked out in
In a few moments I will be DECORATED preparation for the double
In the arms of my betrothed; wedding. A table, set for four,
ROOM
Unknown, in these clothes, is being prepared and the
Twill come before him... torches set alight. As the
SCENE 4 servants busy themselves,
Ferrando: Ed intanto di dolore under the eagle-eye of
And meanwhile, wretched me, Despina, Don Alfonso enters and congratulates
I shall die of grief. them all on their efforts. He asks them to give the
approaching couples a rousing reception and, as
As Ferrando persists in his declaration of love, Fiordiligi and Dorabella enter on the arms of their
Fiordiligi’s strength departs her and she melts into two Albanians, a chorus of servants and musicians
Right: Ferrando -
played by Gordon
Christie - and
Guglielmo - played
by Mark Holland -
having changed out
of their disguise,
‘return’ from the
war. WNO, 1985

Left: Dressed in
beautiful clothes for
their wedding,
Dorabella - played
by Ann Murray and
Fiordiligi - played by
Elizabeth Connell
arrive on the arms
of their bri
ROH, 1984
 THE STORY

disguise (she has just returned from a costume

ball) and the astonished sisters demand to
know what on earth is happening. This is the
cue for Don Alfonso casually to drop the
marriage papers to the floor. Ferrando picks
them up, and after absorbing their contents.
melodramatically cries out ‘Betrayal! Betrayal!
Ferrando and Guglielmo start to rush towards
the adjoining room, while Fiordiligi and
Dorabella desperately try to block their way.
Full of shame, the sisters confess their guilt
Don Alfonso explains that the ‘proof’ of their
shame is in the next room. The sisters stand
frozen with fear as Ferrando and Guglielmo
enter the room. A moment later, Ferrando
and Guglielmo come out in their Albanian
costumes, but without their hats, cloaks
and ridiculous moustaches. In a comic
parody, they mock their fiancées and
Despina, who is equally amazed.
The sisters slowly put the pieces together
and turn on Don Alfonso: ‘Behold there the
barbarous man who deceived us!’ Don
Alfonso explains that he may have deceived
them, but his ‘deceit was undeceiving for your
burst into glorious song, Despina and Don Alfonso lovers, who will be wiser now’. He then invites
have never seen a finer comedy! them all to embrace and laugh: ‘I’ve laughed
The couples sit down at the table, speaking to already and will laugh.” Fiordiligi and Dorabella
each other of the ardour of their love. Don Alfonso happily turn to their lovers, promising to repay
courteously intervenes to make the announcement them by adoring them forever. Ferrando and
that the notary with the marriage contract has Guglielmo forgive them and promise to believe in
arrived — and Despina enters, in her new disguise! their love, without testing it any further. Even
With much pomp, and plenty of nonsensical legal Despina has learned her lesson — she had been
jargon, she prepares the contract
between Fiordiligi and ‘Sempronio’, and
Dorabella and ‘Tizio’. Once the contract
is signed, it is quietly slipped to Don
Alfonso, who is in the midst of
congratulating the newly-weds when a
loud drum-roll is heard.
A burst of military music announces
the return of the soldiers from overseas —
and Fiordiligi and Dorabella’s fiancés!
Complete panic ensues as the sisters urge
their Albanian husbands to flee — or to
hide — or to do something ‘for heaven's
sake!’ Don Alfonso pulls Despina into an
adjoining room, while Fiordiligi and
Right: With all Dorabella | push the Albanians into
misunderstandings
forgiven and another. Ferrando and Guglielmo now
forgotten, the take the opportunity to slip out, unseen,
couples embrace in a having cast off their disguise.
joyful finale. WNO,
- 1985
As Fiordiligi and Dorabella try to gather
their thoughts, Ferrando and Guglielmo enter ‘safe thoroughly taken in, too, but then she has taken in
and sound to the loving embraces of our most many others. They all join in a reconciliatory finale.
faithful lovers’. But their enthusiasm is dampened in which they praise the virtue of reason and the
by the ‘pallor’ and ‘sadness’ of their fiancées. healing power of laughter: ‘Yortunato 1 uom che
Guglielmo then goes to put his trunk in the next prende ogni cosa pel buon verso (Fortunate is the
room and discovers... a notary! Despina comes out man who takes everything for the best’) (TRACK 16).
and brazenly announces that it is just her in The curtain falls for the final time.

9 |
 TH
+

eo
a

GR
—

4 .

ERFORMERS OF Cosi FACE AN

EXACTING TASK: TO EXPRESS Elisabeth
THE PURITY AND PERFECTION OF Schwarzkopf
NMOoZART’S MUSIC, BUT REVEAL
An exquisite soprano voice, a highly disciplined
THE HUMANITY AND
technique and a classically beautiful face made
IMPERFECTIONS OF THE Elisabeth Schwarzkopf the most admired and
CHARACTERS THEMSELVES fondly remembered Mozart soprano of the post-
war period. Her great contemporary was Maria
Callas, but unlike Callas she did not possess a
tumultuous, passionate persona, either on or off
Unlike the other two operas which Mazart wrote Stage. Whereas Callas’ performances were made
with the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, Cosi Fan Tutte unforgettable by the intense, emotive drama of her
has no single character who outshines all the wonderful singing, Schwarzkopfs appeal lay in
others — no Figaro, no Don Giovanni. It is a work the sublime beauty of her voice.
of deliberate symmetry — with three women and Schwarzkopf was born at Jarocin, near Poznan
three men; two. couples (in alternating on 9th December, 1915. She studied in Berlin,
configurations), and two supporting (or rather, where she made her début at the Berlin Stadtische
manipulating) roles. Appropriately, for a social Oper as the Flower Maiden in Wagner’s Parsifal in
comedy, Mozart makes great use of various 1938. She became a member of the Vienna Opera
combinations of voices — duets, trios, quartets and in 1942, touring widely with them. After making
quintets, as well as solos. So performers not only her début at Covent Garden with the Vienna
have to achieve the ‘purity and precision’ which Opera, singing the part of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s
Mozart demands, they must be able to work co- Don Giovanni in 1947, her international career
operatively with their fellow singers. took off. In 1948, she joined the Covent Garden
Company in London as a permanent member,
singing in English, and stayed until 1951. She
Pri Nalarlis triumphed at both the Salzburg Festival and at La
Scala, Milan in the role of Countess Almaviva in
For the 1790 premiere, Mozart wrote Cos? with The Marriage of Figaro.
particular performers in mind — all of whom were In her early career, Schwarzkopf sang mainly
experienced in his work. The first Fiordiligi was coloratura roles - those featuring highly-
Adriana Gabrieli, known as ‘la Ferrarese’, a rather ornamented lines of melody with runs up and
notorious singer who was dismissed from the down the scale — but in the 1940s, she moved to
Viennese court two years after the premiére of the lyric soprano repertoire. She developed a
Cosi, following various squabbles and scandals relatively small number of roles, but was
She had a ‘fair natural voice of extraordinary incomparable in those she chose — notably the
compass’, which Mozart allowed her to show off. Marschallin in Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier,
Despite her vocal agility, Mozart was apparently Countess Almaviva in Mozart's Figaro, Donna
not too enamoured with her voice: around this Elvira in Don Giovanni, and one of her favourites,
time: he described another soprano as being ‘far Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte.
better than Ferrarese, but that isn’t saying much’, Schwarzkopf is most associated with Mozart and
She was Lorenzo da Ponte’s mistress, however, and Strauss’ operas and lieder (songs). But she also
perhaps the librettist had a say in the casting. tackled contemporary work, creating the role of
The first Dorabella was Louise Villeneuve, for Anne Trulove in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress at
whom Moz art had previously written several arias. its world premiére in Venice in 1951. She was
Dorotea Santi-Bussani, who had created the role of awarded the Lilli Lehmann Medal in recognition of
Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro four years her talent and contribution to opera by the Mozart
previously, was Despina. Her husband Francesco Society of Salzburg.
Bussani, a very experienced, though by some Elisabeth Schwarzkopf gave her farewell
accounts only ‘adequate’ bass sang Don Alfonso performance in Brussels in 1972. Since her
Francesco Benucci, the original Figaro, sang retirement, she has earned international acclaim as
Guglielmo. And for Vincenzo Calvesi, Mozart a teacher.
wrote what is considered by many to be the most
interesting and demanding tenor role in all his
works, Ferrando
Only ten performances of Cos? an Tutte were
staged in Mozart's lifetime, and the opera fell out
THE GREAT PERFORMERS

11
 warm soprano voice also made her an_ ideal
Fiordiligi, a role she considered one of Mozart’s
‘most compelling creations’. But although she
sang Fiordiligi at the Glyndebourne and Edinburgh
festivals, she was disappointed never to be given
the opportunity at Vienna, where the competition
included Lisa della Casa, the stunningly beautiful
half-Swiss, half-Hungarian prima donna, whose
wonderfully smooth, impeccably controlled voice
made her one of the most admired Mozart singers
ON THE RECORD of her day.
Recorded live in 1982 at Salzburg’s Kleines Festpielhaus, this performance German soprano Irmgard Seefried also brought
brings together a distinguished cast. Fiordiligi is sung by the British soprano her personal charms to the role of Fiordiligi.
Margaret Marshall (born in 1945); her sister Dorabella by the charismatic When the German mezzo Christa Ludwig
Greek mezzo Agnes Baltsa (born in 1944), one of the many von Karajan joined the Vienna State Opera in 1955, she began
protegées associated with the opera. The American soprano Kathleen Battle with Dorabella - which she sang to
(born in 1948) takes the role of Despina. Belgian bass-baritone José van Dam
Irmgard Seefried’s Fiordiligi. “Yhough
(born in 1940) sings a towering Don Alfonso, one of the roles for which he is
she gained — great
internationally admired, while the baritone James Morris sings Guglielmo.
The Mexican tenor Francisco Araiza (born in 1950) sings Ferrando. It is one acclaim for her
of the roles for which he has received universal acclaim, but he still stresses the interpretation
difficulty of the part, particularly when singing with Morris and van Dam. of Dorabella,
Unusually for a tenor role, Ferrando leads the ensembles, which means he has Ludwig had
to work really hard unless Guglielmo and Don Alfonso have light, lyric voices — problems with it,
which Morris and van Dam do not. Act 1 poses particular problems when not least being the
Ferrando has to lead the so-called ‘laughing trio’, but keep enough strength fact that Seefried
and control to sing the aria ‘Un’ aura amorosa’ with perfect, unruffled tended to want
precision immediately afterwards. He manages superbly. more than her fair
share of attention
of favour in the 19th century, when it was on stage. Ludwig
criticised, variously, as being immoral, frivolous, subsequently left
cynical or simply unbelievable. So it is mostly in Mozart for more
the 20th century, and particularly after World War romantic roles to
II that the great performers can be found. which she felt better
suited, both in voice
and temperament.
Two sisters Unlike Ludwig, the
Spanish mezzo Teresa
Below: Sena The Yugoslavian lyric soprano Sena Jurinac joined Berganza ‘became
Jurinac’s warm the Vienna Opera in 1945, and began by singing addicted’ to Mozart from the very beginning. She
hee on,‘deal mantle Cherubino in Figaro and Dorabella in Cosi. She made her operatic début as Dorabella in 1950. Like
Fiordiligi pointed out in an interview that although these most singers, she describes Mozart as the best
are both normally mezzo roles, there hap- teacher, since his works demand ‘almost instru-
pened to be a shortage of mezzos in Vienna after mental accuracy’. Berganza likens her mezzo voice
the war, so she was offered the parts. Her lovely, to the cello, ‘the most sensual, and beautiful of
instruments... The cello is very special, because its
sound is different from that of other instruments.
It’s more visceral...’

The von Karajan singers

The instrument analogy has been used to describe
the pure lyric mezzo voice of Frederica von Stade,
which a New Yorker review called ‘a precise,
supple, responsive instrument’ — unsuited to
dramatic mezzo roles such as Carmen and Amneris
in Aida, but perfect for Mozart. Since the 1970s,
she has been one of the leading Dorabellas. Von
Stade’s success really began in 1973 when she sang
Cherubino at Paris and Glyndebourne, and her
 THE GREAT PERFORMERS

Far left: The entire reputation was consolidated when she was invited Beneath the brilliant comic surface of Cosi lies <
cast featured in this by the great conductor Herbert von Karajan to sing story of cynical manipulation, shattered illusions.
recording are seen and of social conformity dominating real passion
at the Salzburg Festival in 1974.
here ina
performance of Cosi At Salzburg three years later, another von And great Mozart performers go beyond technica!
Fan Tutte at Salzburg Karajan protegée shot to stardom — the soprano perfection to express the emotion and the pathos -
in 1982 Hildegard Behrens. Renowned as a Wagnerian, as well as the glittering wit. In the wrong hands.
Behrens is also highly accomplished in Mozart the opera can be beautiful but cold - or reduced to
roles. Though she loves the precision and a pantomime romp. But with the right cast, Cos?
emotional restraint, she hates the perception of this Fan Tutte is revealed not only as one of the most
music as ‘powdered wigs and perfume’, with no glorious of comedies, but one of the MOSt
emotion and ‘no hormones’. She brings her own profoundly disturbing as well.
brand of operatic passion to the role of Fiordiligi at
moments of emotional over-reaction, which she
sees as an important facet of Fiordiligi’s character.
The Bulgarian soprano Anna Tomova-Sintow,
FIRST CLASS FFERRANDO
another of the singers whose career blossomed
Left: Teresa under von Karajan, stresses the girlish side of
Berganza’s rich Fiordiligi. Despite the fact that the role is a
mezzo-soprano voice technically difficult one, she has always found that
and addiction to
Mozart made her
it comes easily to her strong, wide-ranging voice.
well-suited to the The great Welsh soprano Margaret Price made
role of Dorabella the role of Fiordiligi very much her own during the
1970s, however. She has a big, extraordinarily agile
voice, which is perfectly suited to the part.

Technical challenge
Below: Elegant and Of the three male roles in Cosi, Ferrando is the
refined, Anton most challenging. It is the longest tenor role in the
Dermota was one of
Mozart repertoire — involving more than an hour's
the greatest
Mozartean tenors in singing — and one of the most difficult. One of the
the post-war period great Mozart tenors from the 1930s and in the post-
var period was Anton Dermota, a stylish, mel-
lifluous singer and a permanent
member of the Vienna
State Opera. He gained
international fame for
his refined and ele-
In 1974, Anton Dermota was a judge in a
gant interpretations
German singing competition entered by a
through recordings
young Mexican student Francisco Araiza.
and through guest
This competition gave Araiza the opportunity
appearances,
to study the role of Ferrando at one of
such as the one at
Dermota’s Masterclasses, and to perform it at
Covent Garden in
Karlsrube, Germany in 1975. His undoubted
1947, when he
brilliance in the role meant that by the time
sang Ferrando to
he had come off stage, the theatre's authorities
Seefried’s Fiordiligi.
had not only increased bis salary but also
When Dermota retired
extended his contract to three years!
from the stage in 1966,
Ironically, because Araiza initially
he became renown-
concentrated on Mozart roles to the exclusion
ed as a teacher at the
of the more emotional, and vocally wide-
Vienna Academy of
ranging Italian roles, his interpretations
Music
started to become perhaps ‘too perfect’. His
answer was to broaden his repertoire to
include Rossini and Verdi. He is now,
according to The Times, ‘the best Mozart
tenor in the world’.

13
 AN
UNUSUAL
OPERA
BUFFA
Cost Fan Tutte is a
wonderful opera buffa,
but the comedy has an
unexpected serious side:
a delicate balance that
requires a subtle approach
OsMRIEIe

hen Austrian Emperor

Joseph II requested a new
‘opera buffa to grace his
national theatre, iste
expected an Italian comic
opera poking fun at order and flouting moral
standards. In opera buffa, characters were taken
from everyday life, warts and all, in contrast to the
heroic, moral and unrealistic characters of
traditional grand opera (opera seria). In Cosi Fan
Tutte, composer Mozart and librettist da Ponte,
both brilliant in their art, delivered much more
than simply a classic opera buffa, however. All the
ingredients are there, but the opera has an
unexpected depth and emotion.

a] IS
SUIS O) Ogg.
In the early 18th century, the highly moral plots
of opera seria had little in the way of light relief.
All humour was banished to comic interludes
between the acts. These interludes soon became a
popular form in their own right: opera buffa. so successful that a regular season was set up.
Naples, the setting for Cost Fan Tulle, was the The first of these works to have survived to the
birthplace of opera buffa drawing on that city’s present day was Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona
thriving theatrical and musical establishments, the (Ihe Maid as Mistress). Premiéred in 1733, it
distinctive Neapolitan brand of humour and encapsulated all the elements of Neapolitan opera
colourful local characters. In 1709, a Neapolitan buffa — sending up human shortcomings, such as
theatre staged the first opera buffa which proved vanity, affectation, stupidity and miserliness, by a

ee
 ON STAGE

quick-witted underling, such as Figaro who spread, first across Italy and then throughout Unlikely settings and
triumphs by dint of sheer common sense. Europe. Paisiello’s version of The Barber of Seville, outrageous disguises
are typical opera
- Opera buffa characters were recognisable produced first in St Petersburg then in Paris in buffa ingredients -
‘ordinary’ people — not the kings and nobles of 1784, was later supplanted in popularity by Rr ee
opera seria — and the humour ranged from Rossini’s version, but nevertheless made a great Royal Opera House’s
slapstick to wit and satire. With these universally impression. Mozart and da Ponte premiéred The ese Or act mg
Cosi Fan Tutte
appealing ingredients, interest in comic opera soon Marriage of Figaro in Vienna in 1786; a piece

>)
Right: Staunchly
guarding their
ila ae Co ts Oe
Pee me Ty
Fe ga|) eT)
nonsense black and
me a)
Opera’s 1967
production

widely considered to be the all-time classic Leipzig, Prague and Dresden had seen it — and
example of opera buffa, in which a farcical story-is panned it. No-one protested at the music, if
transformed into a masterpiece by perceptive anything, Mozart was seen as a victim of what was
drawing of character and beautiful orchestration. considered a tasteless, immoral libretto. Efforts
were made to preserve the music by cleaning up
the words, or providing it with new plots.
CLASSIC INGREDIENTS ; In 1900, Gustav Mahler, then director of the
Mozart wrote seven comic operas in total; all had Vienna court opera, restored Cosi to something like
the classic opera buffa elements — unlikely its original form and reinstated da Ponte’s libretto.
Below: Mesmer’s coincidences, improbable situations, mistaken Even so, for some time afterwards, it was regarded
magnet is wielded to identity — and stock opera buffa characters. In Cost as just a pretty entertainment. In the 1930s, for
good effect by the
cunning Despina Fan Tutte, supposedly based on a real-life scandal, instance, it was called ‘a world of enchanted
Mozart and da Ponte created a piece which artificiality’ with a. hotch-potch of all the
depicts human weakness in a naughty tale of ingredients found in opera buffa. Nevertheless,
infidelity, where the common sense of Despina there are times when the fun stops in Cosi and
the maid, and the cynical Don Alfonso outwit the emotion takes its place. Cosiis not just a farce with
two starry-eyed couples’ idealised romantic view the lovers scoring points off cach other. Both
of human nature. words and music also depict real profound
: Cosi Fan Tulle had its first performance at emotions from grief and anger to deep sorrow.
the Burgtheater in Vienna on 26th
January, 1790. A newspaper report aaa
noted ‘an excellent work from Mozart... CREATING THE ATMOSPHERE
that the music is by Mozart says... The dual strands = the comedy and the pathos —
everything.’ However, the opera created. which underlie both music and libretto have been
an uproar of protest when it was picked up in several productions of Cosi Fan Tutte
performed outside and the unexpected serious side of the opera has
AYUCooroC ALi
ov rome! been given due weight. The atmosphere created
year, Frankfurt, by sets and costumes have also played their part.

MESMER’S MAGNET
doctor ‘cures’ the Albanians
drawing a huge magnet— ‘Mesmer’s stone’— over their bodies. This was a
o Dr Fran lesmer who claimed to cure disease by
patients’ ‘antmal magi sm, though the accompanying
was later thought to be the real cure.
Another of Mesn nents Involved a wooden box divided up by a
s from which mice could only escape if th ' made certain manoeuvres in a
¢ a of ‘Mes nf d by director Jonathan Miller in bis
production of Cosi Fan Tutte i t was designed as a m within a room,
symbolising a situation ti which the two ing couples were trapped and from which they
could only escape when th ‘formed certain manoeuvres devised by Ion Alfonso.
 me STAGE

The 1984 Glyndebourne production featured

only the muted colours of cassata or neapolitan Cosi ‘BUTTERFLY’ STYLE
ice cream, while the Welsh National Opera in
1985 achieved a low-lit evening atmosphere on
stage, effectively mirroring something of Cosi’s
serious side.
In 1987 at La Scala, Milan, the size of the stage,
which, as in most opera houses, is too wide to
create the intimacy this opera requires, was
diminished by using an inner set depicting the
sisters’ villa. The rest of the stage, including the
apron, was blue-grey. As a result, the scene
appeared to be suspended above stage level.
Inside, all was colour and prettiness. Outside was
hard, cold reality.
The 1967 production at the Scottish Opera
brought out the emotional contrasts of the opera
especially cleverly. The performance began in
black and white, to signify the stage where
Fiordiligi and Dorabella guard their virtue in Act 1.
Then, as the emotional struggle intensifies, colour
— much more true to life — was introduced. Finally,
at the end, with da Ponte’s conclusion that reason ino & in Nad Hen ;
is the best guide to human behaviour, the setting Dorabella igi c bag 7 a oe ao Lae
returns to ‘conventional’ black and white. h their plot durin out’, returning in disguise as
Lieutenant Pinkerton look :
left paired in their new formation, taking Moza omment on human
SCARLET FOR SEDUCTION _ weakness a step further!
The 1984 production at the Drottningholm
Statsteater in Sweden made a similar point. The
opera began all white and cream pastels, both in seduction proceeded in Act 2 and the sisters began
costumes and scenery. Fiordiligi and Dorabella to weaken, a red parasol made its appearance in
wore virginal white and after their lovers ostensibly the background. Dorabella, the more flirtatious
departed for war, they donned a black veil and a sister, sported a deep red sash and a glittery red
long black shawl respectively. and gold shawl. Later, she put on a gold and blue
However, as the surcoat with a purple sash for the ‘wedding’ and a
pert blue hat. Fiordiligi, more reticent at first, wore
a pale lilac sash on her dress and a pastel
ee Th
banded shawl at the wedding. Then, as gowns and pastel
their lovers ‘returned’ from the war, the sets - the temptation
sisters hurriedly removed all their coloured BC Ce fy
colour’ as the plot
clothing and ended the opera back in pure Te ed
white gowns. geet eo el
Colour and monochrome were also used Drottningholm’s
1984 Cosi
in Covent Garden’s 1989 production, where
the main set was a box shape which the
lighting reflected as grey or beige, both of
them cold hues. The box was fitted with rising
panels which turned it black when Guglielmo
and Ferrando pretend to depart for war and the
deception begins in earnest. In Act 2, where
the two men, now in disguise, arrange the
serenade that preludes their seduction of each
other’s loves, the action took place in a scarlet
tent, the colour of immorality. However, once
the plot was revealed and the deception
confessed, Guglielmo and Ferrando destroyed the
tent. The set reverted to grey again as reality
intruded on pretence and the characters were left
to contemplate their own fallibility.
After the triumph of
Mozart and da Ponte’s
first opera together, the
composer was more
than happy to continue
the association

WOLFGANG AMAI YEUS

ollowing the outstanding success of destiny. In a letter to his sister ¢

The Marriage of Figaro through- just four days after Leopold's
out Europe, Mozart and his wife death, Mozart wrote: “You can
Constanze travelled to Prague in early easily imagine, as our loss is
1787 at the invitation of Count Thun, equally great, how pained I
who treated the couple as if they were visiting was by the sad news of the 4
royalty. In a letter to a friend, Mozart commented sudden death of our :
on a ball he attended where ‘I looked on... with dearest father.’
the greatest pleasure while all these people flew During the sum-
about in sheer delight to the music of my “Figaro”, mer of =1787,
arranged for quadrilles and waltzes. For here they Wolfgang helped
talk of nothing but “Figaro”.’ his sister wind up
Leopold's affairs and,
ever the complete pro-
THE NEXT COLLABORATION fessional, liaised with da
Before he left this city, Mozart was commissioned Ponte on the new stage work.
to write a new opera for the autumn, and as soon By the autumn of that year
as he arrived back in Vienna he sought out he was back in Prague with
Lorenzo da Ponte as his collaborator, It was the the opera almost complet-
librettist who suggested the subject — the libertine, ed, and ready to lead re-
Don Juan. Before the opera Don Giovanni was hearsals. The usual politics
begun in earnest, Mozart ‘dashed off a few more and problems of managing
superb works, including the Serenade K.525, with a small troupe aside,
known the world over by its subtitle, Eine kleine Mozart was well pleased with
Nachtmusik. Yet this happy mood was quashed in what he heard. He remarked in a letter: ‘Everything
May 1787 by the sudden death of the composer's dawdles along here because the singers, who are
father Leopold, the man who had, more than lazy, refuse to rehearse on opera days and the _gezeae
anyone else, provided Mozart with his artistic manager, Who is aNXiOUS ese. ; A I aS

| 18
 THE COMPOSER

and timid, will not force them.’ His physical deterioration allowed him very little
, he accepted with good grace energy for other projects. He and da Ponte

posal
endless postponements of open- collaborating for the last time, picked an ide:
night. Don Giovanni, when finally which was not new, but
iéred on 4th November, 1787 in borrowed from one
igue, was a great hit, though the later of his friends,
nese début in May 1788 was not so Giovanni
ful. Only the Austrian Emperor's personal Battista Casti.
approval won it a reprieve and eventually an Casti wrote
extended season. an opera for
Mozart's rival
Antonio Salieri in
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES 1785 in which two
Mozart approached his next opera, Cosi Fan Tutte, pairs of lovers swap
again with a libretto by da Ponte, with great partners. Da Ponte took
determination. His health, which up until this time this basic concept, modi-
had been generally sound, began to deteriorate fied it by adding an extra
steadily. With this falling away of physical vigour couple and making the

ALTE
went part of his tremendous zest for life, together partner-swapping wholly. vol-
with his ability to continue to lead such a hard- untary, and wrote a_ superb
working and strenuous existence. script for Mozart to compose to.

LATER
For Wolfgang Amadcus Mozart, as for no other
contemporary, this was bad news indeed. For
Mozart relied totally on his talent and drive to COSI’S SUCCESS

EARS
deliver the income to support a relatively extrav- The 33-year-old composer threw him-
agant lifestyle. He and Constanze, for example, self into the work, but all through the
never went without servants, however poverty- composition of Cosi, Mozart was finan-
stricken they were in the last few years. Mozart cially embarrassed and ill, and borrowing
also made it a point to always dress immaculately, money from friends. Against this back-
and send Constanze on ‘the cure’ at expensive spas ground, the brilliant display of artifice, high
when her doctors ordered it. To the last, they ‘kept spirits and love of life by all Cos?s main
up appearances’. And it is worth remembering that, characters is a small miracle. Both Mozart and
Mozart and his wife as Opposed to current practice, composers enjoyed da Ponte had excelled themselves in this
Constanze had no copyright protection for their works, and sub- work, creating a marvellously unified opera
become accustomed
to an aristocratic sequently no income past the commissioning fee. with credible characters and events. The critic
lifestyle - For this reason alone, it was necessary for Alfred Einstein once observed: ‘This
an extravagance Mozart to keep up a high degree of creative opera is iridescent, like a glorious soap-
which was to take a
severe toll of the
output, or suffer the dismal consequences. The bubble, with the colours of buf
composer's health only other way was to accept a secure but stifling foonery, parody, and both genuine
post, as Joseph Haydn had done, at a provincial and simulated emotion. To this is
family’s court, but Mozart had too high an added the colour of pure
opinion of his own worth ever to do that. beauty... Mozart
Apart from his small stipend as a court raises the
composer in Vienna, he had no regular
income, preferring to be
freelance.
Unusually for him,
Mozart wrote little
other than Cosi Fan
Tutte in the latter
half of 1789 —
although _ this
is among his
greatest
works.
THE COMPOSER

Lorenzo da Ponte (1749-1838)

Lorenzo da Ponte’s easy familiarity with dramatic dialogue and
brilliant characterisations made him a natural choice to
complement Mozart’s phenomenal musical talent. Although da
Ponte collaborated with Mozart on only three operas — The
Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte — he wrote 36
librettos in all.
Apart from his talent, da Ponte’s lifestyle also complemented Mozart's.
He led a rumbustious life and was often in financial trouble. When he first
met Mozart in 1783, he held the post of poet to the Imperial Theatre, which
he had obtained through the influence of court composer Antonio Salieri.
However, seven years later, soon after the first performance of Cosi, da Ponte
quarrelled with the management, fell out of favour at court following Emperor Josef IIs
death and beat a hasty retreat from Austria. He and Mozart never worked together again.

banner of pure
without forgetting the
cynic in the background
who is “laughing himself to
* death”. There is an evening
glow over the whole score.’
Luckily for the two men,
Vienna agreed, and
Opera was a major hit at its
premiére in January 1790.
However, fate was about to
play another cruel trick.
Shortly after the premiere,
the Emperor Joseph II died.
Mozart's career. prospects
suffered, as the new Emperor Leopold had little
intetest in music, and made musical appointments
purely on the basis of political expediency. Mozart,
ill and without influential friends, was unable to
press his case to succeed Salieri as the top Court
composer, and a nonentity named Joseph Wiegl
was given the position.
For the-rest of 1790, Mozart was ill and listless,
and did lithe composing of any worth. He also con-
tinued to borrow money from friends and from
fellow Masons. To his friend Michael Puchberg, he
wrote in August 1790: ‘I am absolutely wretched to-
day. I could not sleep all night for pain. I must have
got overheated yesterday from walking so much...
Picture yourself in my condition — ill and consumed
beauty with worries and anxieties. Such a state quite Left: Mozart's
old definitely prevents me from recovering. In a week frequent bouts of
illness slowed down
or fortnight I shall be better-off — but at present I his phenomenal
am in want! Can you help me out with a trifle?’ workrate, but did
The pattern for the rest of his short life was set. not diminish the
quality of his
Yet, he was to achieve still more glories, although
compositions
he had barely a year to live, from new commissions
the — La Clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberfléte in the
operatic field, the clarinet concerto in the orchestral
field, and, of course, the great unfinished Requiem.
Ill, weighed down by financial worries
and suffering from acute homesickness
while on a visit to Dresden in April 1789,
Mozart wrote the following touching
letter to his wife:
‘Dear little wife, I have a number of
requests to make. I beg of you
1. Not to be melancholy.
2. To take care of your health and to
beware of the spring breezes.
3. Not to go out walking alone -— and
preferably not to go out walking at all.
4. To feel absolutely assured of my love. Up
to the present I have not written a single letter
to you without placing your dear portrait
before me.
6. And lastly I beg you to send me details in
your letters... what sort of life are you Left: Antonio Salieri,
leading? : leading Court
7. 1 beg you in your conduct not only to be composer and
Mozart's rival, was
careful of your honour and mine, but also to
probably responsible
consider appearances. Do: not be angry with for blocking
me for asking this. You ought to love me even Mozart's career in
more for thus valuing your honour. Vienna
Ob Stru! Stri! I kiss and squeeze you
7,095,060, 437,082 times... and am ever your
most faithful husband and friend.’
AgZpera
EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT OPERA
THE MUSIC, THE PEOPLE, THE STORIES
was established from the
late 1950s. With his warm,
wide-ranging lyric baritone
voice, complemented by the
humour and humanity he
brought to his roles, he
created some unforgettable
SIR GERAINT character portraits - ranging
from Mozart's Leporello to
EVANS Verdi's Falstaff.
MARIA EWING
A magnetic stage presence,
acting skill, sex appeal and a
marvellous voice combine to
make the American soprano
Maria Ewing one of today’s
operatic stars. Born in 1950, she
made her début at the New
York Met as the adolescent
Cherubino in Mozart’s Marriage
of Figaro.
She married the director Sir
Peter Hall in 1982 (they
divorced in 1990), and he
directed her controversial
Salome in 1988, when she
performed the Dance of the
Seven Veils to its logical,
A well-loved performer, and
acclaimed as one of the
greatest, most distinctive
baritones in the post-war
period, Sir Geraint Evans was
born in Pontypridd, Wales in
1922, and made his début at
Covent Garden in 1948. His
reputation developed
gradually, through
performances at Covent
Garden and Glyndebourne;
his international standing
L<\/
ROH Royal Opera House, MET Metropolitan Opera
Covent Garden House, New York
ENO English National Opera WNO. Welsh National Opera
Lib Libretto Prem Premiére
naked conclusion.She has
become particularly associated
with the role of Carmen, which
she has sung at Glyndebourne,
Earl’s Court, Tokyo and Covent
FALSETTO
This term, probably derived
from the Italian for ‘false’,
refers to the artificially high
Garden. In 1991, she sang voice which male singers can
Tosca with Placido Domingo at achieve by only partially
Covent Garden and in an open- vibrating their vocal cords.
- Falsetto is usually used in
air concert at Kenwood,
London. opera only in special
circumstances — to give
exaggerated softness, for
THE EXCUR- example, or for satire, as in
Falstaff, when the old knight
SIONS OF MR mimics a woman’s voice.
BROUCEK
By Leos JANACEK. . FALSTAFF
Lib. BY COMPOSER, F. S.
PROCHAZKA AND OTHERS, AFTER
By GIUSEPPE VERDI.
NOVELS BY SVATOPLUK CECH.
Lis. BY BOITO AFTER SHAKESPEARE
PREM. MILAN, 1893,
PREM. PRAGUE, 1920.
Janacek’s only comic opera
was actually written as two
one-act operas. The first tells
of the publican Broucek’s
adventures on the moon -
where he shows up the
artistic pretensions of the
society (a parody of
contemporary Prague) he
finds there. In the second, he
travels back in time to the
15th century — and his
cowardly behaviour reveals
how the modern Czech
compares unfavourably with
his heroic ancestors.
Verdi's final opera is a comic
THE FAIRY masterpiece. It takes its story
from the misadventures of
QUEEN Shakespeare's ‘fat knight’
Falstaff from Henry IV and The
By HENRY PURCELL. Merry Wives of Windsor. Short
Lis. By SETTLE(?) AFTER of money, the ageing Falstaff
SHAKESPEARE. writes identical love letters to
PREM. LoNpon, 1692. the rich Mistresses Alice Ford
Adapted from Shakespeare’s A and Meg Page. The two ‘merry
Midsummer Night's Dream, wives’ compare letters, and
though with none of the with the aid of Mistress
original text, The Fairy Queen Quickly, plan their revenge.
consists of a series of songs Disguises, confusion and
and sequences. The score was elements of bedroom farce
lost in 1701, and despite an follow. Falstaff shows Verdi's
advertisement offering 20 versatile brilliance in its
guineas for its recovery, it was sparkling score, wonderful
only rediscovered by chance ensemble scenes and in the
two centuries later, in 1901, gloriously humane
when the Royal Academy of characterisation of the fat
Music was being catalogued. knight himself.

LA FANCIULLA
DEL WEST
By Giacomo Puccini.
Lig. BY CIVININI AND ZANGARINI
AFTER BELASCO’S PLAY THE GIRL OF
THE GOLDEN WEST.
Prem. New York, 1910.
Set in California in the Gold
Rush, Puccini’s Wild West
opera was so popular with
its first-night audience in
New York that it received 47
curtain calls.
Golden-hearted Minnie,
owner of ‘The Polka’ saloon
and self-styled school
teacher to the local miners, is
loved by two men - the
A scene from Gounod’s Faust
' daughter of baritone Willi
Sheriff Jack Rance and a
newcomer to town, Dick
Johnson, who is really the
bandit Ramerrez. Minnie falls
in love with Ramerrez, gives
him sanctuary and saves his
life by cheating at cards. In
the end, she persuades the
miners not to hang her lover,
and the two go off to start
their new life together.
GERALDINE
FARRAR
(1882-1967)
One of the greatest singing-
actresses of her day, this
beautiful American soprano
became a cult figure among the
young female opera-goers of
the 1920s, who became known
as ‘Gerry-flappers’. She starred
in more than a dozen films.
Her autobiography Such
Sweet Compulsion reveals her
romanticised, narcissistic self-
image — it is ‘written’ by the
spirit of Farrar’s mother, which
allows her to describe herself
on her début night in Berlin in
1901, for example, as ‘this
angelic form... natural in
bearing and gesture.’ Taught by
Lilli Lehmann, she was
outstanding as Madam Butterfly
— which she sang at the New
York Met for 15 years.
BRIGITTE
FASSBAENDER
Born in Berlin in 1939 —
Domgraf-Fassbaender and
actress Sabine Peters - the
German mezzo-soprano was
initially more interested in
theatre than opera. She was
nearly 20 before she
thought of taking
singing seriously,
and was taught
by her father,
Brigitte
Fassbaender
who was Head of the Opera _ |
School at the Nuremberg |
Conservatory.
She made her début in
1961 in Munich, and
developed an international
reputation for her wide-
ranging repertoire,
particularly for ‘trouser-
roles’, such as Octavian in
Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier.
She now spends more time
on the concert platform than
the operatic stage.
FAUST
By CHARLES GOUNOD.
Lip. BY BARBIER AND CARRE AFTER
GOETHE.
Prem. Paris, 1859. Fedora, at La Scala, Milan, 1932
Gounod’s most successful
opera, one of many based on LA FAVORITE
Goethe's adaptation of the old By GAETANO DONIZETTI.
Faust legend, has been Lip. BY ROYER AND VAEZ AFTER
translated into 25 languages. BACULARD D‘ARNAUD’S PLAY.
The elderly Faust sells his Prem. Paris, 1840.
soul to the devil Fernando, a novice monk, is
Méphistophéles in return for so passionately in love with
renewed youth and the Leonora that he abandons
beautiful Marguerite. Faust his vocation. He is ignorant
tempts Marguerite away from
of the fact that she is the
her love-lorn protector Siebel, mistress of the King Alfonso
and soon she is pregnant with XI, and Leonora - who
Faust’s child. returns his love - fears he
Abandoned by Faust, who will never accept her if he
kills her brother in a duel, knows who (or what) she is.
Marguerite descends into So she arranges an army
madness, and kills her baby. commission for him.
She is imprisoned for murder, When Fernando becomes a
but refuses to escape with military hero, he asks
Faust, and prays Alfonso for Leonora’s hand
for her soul to as his prize, unaware that
be saved. — the King is ‘giving’ him his
While Faust is 7 ; mistress. The discovery of
condemned the truth sends Fernando
to Hell, she back to the monastery,
ascends to followed by Leonora who
Heaven
accompanied
pleads forgiveness before
dying in his arms.
by a choir of
angels.

FEDORA
By UMBERTO GIORDANO.
LIB. BY COLAUTTI AFTER SARDOU’S
PLAY.
Prem. MILAN, 1898.
Giordano had wanted to write
an opera based on Sardou’s
play since his student days,
when he saw the great Sarah
Bernhardt in the title role.
Fedora is the most popular of
his works after Andrea Chénier,
and tells the story of the
doomed love between Princess
Fedora Romanov and Count
Loris Ipanoy — who has
murdered her fiancé. Fedora
starts a relationship with Ipanov
only to extract a confession.
but the two fall in love and
escape together to Switzerland.
Later, Ipanov discovers that
Fedora informed on him and
he swears revenge. Fedora
poisons herself.
KATHLEEN
FERRIER
(1912-53)
With a wonderful contralto
voice and radiant
personality, Kathleen Ferrier
was one of Britain's best-
loved singers. She trained as
a pianist and worked as a
telephonist before beginning
to train for a singing career
in 1937. By the time she
made her operatic début,
creating the role of Lucretia
in Britten’s The Rape of
Lucretia at Glyndebourne in
1946, she was well
established as a concert
singer. She returned to
Glyndebourne in 1947 to
sing Orfeo in Gluck’s Orfeo
ed Euridice, a role which she
sang again in 1953 at Covent
Garden. Sadly, she died from
cancer later in 1953.
ZDENEK FIBICH
(1850-1900)
The prolific Czech composer
wrote some 600 works,
including seven operas for
which he is best
remembered. Unlike his
compatriots, Smetana and
Dvorak, he was
international in his choice
of subjects, although his
masterpiece, Sarka (1897)
is based on a Czech legend.
FIDELIO
By Lupwic VAN BEETHOVEN.
Lib. BY SONNLEITHNER, BASED ON
Bouitty’s LEONORE.
Prem. VIENNA, 1805.
Beethoven’s only opera, also
known as Wedded Love, was
initially a resounding failure.
It wasn’t until the third
version of the work was
eventually performed in
1814 that it achieved
recognition as a masterpiece.
Themes of freedom and
marital fidelity combine in
the profoundly moving story
of the Spanish nobleman
Florestan, who has been
unlawfully thrown into
prison. The governor,
Pizarro, has spread the word
that Florestan is dead.
Florestan’s faithful wife
Leonora determines to
secure his release, and enters
the prison in the guise of a
young man called Fidelio.
Her devoted love triumphs
over the evil Pizarro.
THE FIERY
ANGEL
By SERGE PROKOFIEV.
LIB. BY COMPOSER AFTER BRYUSOV,
PREM. (AS CONCERT PERFORMANCE)
Paris, 1954.
This strange, mystical opera
was never performed in
Marie, the heroine of
Donizetti's
La Fille du Regiment
Prokoviev’s lifetime: the score
was lost from the 1920s until
the 1950s. Set in 16th-century
Germany, it tells how Renata
had taken Heinrich for the
flaming guardian angel which
appeared to her when she was
a child, and which promised to
return in human form. She
meets Rupprecht in an inn, and
together they set out to find
Heinrich, who has left her. The
Leonora attempts to rescue Florestan
story becomes increasingly
emotionally intense and
macabre, and eventually Renata
— who has become a nun — is
sentenced to be burnt alive for
demonic possession.
LA FILLE DU
REGIMENT
(THE DAUGHTER OF THE
REGIMENT)
By GAETANO DONIZETTI.
LIB. BY SAINT-GEORGES AND
BAYARD.
PREM. Paris, 1840.
The Italian composer’s first
French opera has been a
great success since its
Parisian premiére. A light,
sentimental melodrama, it
tells the story of Marie, an
‘orphan’ girl who has been
brought up as ‘the daughter’
of a regiment of grenadiers.
She loves Tonio, who joins
the regiment to be with her.
But when it is discovered
that Marie is in fact the
daughter of the local
Marquise, she is taken away
to be married to a nobleman.
The regiment rescues her
and she and Tonio are
reunited.
FIORITURA
Italian for ‘flowering’ or
‘blossoming’, this term refers to
the ‘flowery’ ornamentation of
a line of melody by a singer. It
can be written or improvised.
in Beethoven's Fidelio

DIETRICH
FISCHER-
DIESKAU
With a repertoire of more
than 1000 songs, Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau is one of the
leading song-recitalists of
this century, as well as one
of the greatest baritones on
the operatic stage.
Fischer-Dieskau was born
in Berlin in 1925. He served
in World
making
War II before
his operatic début in
1948 as Posa in Verdi's Don
Carlos, and rapidly gained an
international reputation.
Renowned for his
remarkable musicianship and
versatility, Fischer-Dieskau
has sung leading roles in
German, Italian, French and
Russian operas, including
modern works, and has also
made a prodigious number
of recordings.
The cast sings a toast to champagne
KIRSTEN
FLAGSTAD
(1895-1962)
‘The greatest Wagnerian
soprano of her generation,
Kirsten Flagstad made her
début in Oslo, in her native
Norway in 1913. But she only
came to prominence more than
20 years later, after a
sensational début at the New
York Met in 1935 as Sieglinde
in Wagner's Die Walktirie. After
World War II, she and her
husband were accused of
collaboration with the Nazis -
a charge which she denied.
DIE
FLEDERMAUS
By JOHANN Strauss Il.
Lig. BY HAFFNER AND GENEE AFTER
MEILHAC AND HALEvy’s LE
REVEILLION.
Prem. VIENNA, 1874.
Strauss’ ‘Champagne Opera’,
lighthearted, bubbly,
exhilarating, and full of
wonderful dances and arias,
is a perennial favourite. Set
in 19th-century Vienna, its
title ‘The Bat’, refers to the
in Die Fledermaus
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
fancy dress which Dr Falke
was wearing when he fell
asleep. His friend Eisenstein
left him to walk home next
morning in his outfit.
The opera tells the
complicated story of the
bat’s revenge, which centres
on Falke arranging for
Eisenstein to flirt with his
own wife, who is in disguise
as a Hungarian countess. A
variety of mistaken identities
ensues, but everything is
resolved the morning after.
FRIEDRICH VON
FLOTOW
(1812-83)
Born into an aristocratic family,
the German composer Flotow
left his homeland for Paris in
1827 to study music. He wrote
some 30 operas and operettas,
as well as ballets, songs and
incidental music. His gift was
for charming, light romantic
comedy. Martha (1847), is his
most popular work. It tells of
the misadventures that are set
in motion when the bored Lady
Harriet decides to try slumming
it, by taking on the disguise of
a servant girl called Martha.
THE FLYING
DUTCHMAN
(DIE FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER)
By RicHARD WAGNER.
LIB. BY COMPOSER AFTER HEINE.
Prem. DresDEN, 1843.
This was Wagner's fourth
opera, but it marks the start
of the radical changes he
made away from the
conventions of opera to his
concept of ‘music-drama’.
The Dutchman has been
condemned to sail the seas
for ever, unless he can find
salvation in a woman who
will love him until death. He
is allowed to stop only once
every seven years. On one
such occasion, he meets the
beautiful Senta. She has
become obsessed with the
legend of the Flying
Dutchman, and soon rejects
her suitor Erik for her hero.
But a misunderstanding
leads the Dutchman to set
sail again. Senta is distraught
and flings herself off a cliff.
She dies loving the
Dutchman, and he is
redeemed at last.
LA FORZA DEL
DESTINO
By GIUSEPPE VERDI.
Lis. BY PIAVE AFTER ANGELO PEREZ
DE SAAVEDRA.
Prem. St PETERSBURG, 1862.
Despite its great length, and
disconnected scenes which
seem to depend upon
improbable coincidences rather
than ‘the force of destiny’, this
opera's great dramatic power
and melodic richness make it
one of Verdi’s most popular
works in Italy.
Don Alvaro has accidentally
killed the father of his
beloved Leonora, It is also his
cursed destiny to be the
unwitting cause of the death
of her brother, and finally of
Leonora herself.
DISCOVERING ENJOY THE WORLD'S GREAT OPERAS
EVERY FORTNIGHT
Oe 6s ava COMING
10 LUCIA DI
LAMMERMOOR
Gaetano Donizetti
MarIA CALLAS * FERRUCCIO TAGLIAVINI * PIERO CAPPUCCILLI
BERNARD LADYSZ * LEONARD DEL FERRO ® MARGRETA ELKINS
RENZO CASELLATO * CONDUCTOR: TULLIO SERAFIN
Mi aria Callas first recorded
this opera in 1953 and this
recording is her second made in
1959 - the year in which she
appeared in an acclaimed
Zeffirelli production of Lucia
in Dallas. Her principal
partners are the Italian lyric
tenor Ferruccio Tagliavini
and the baritone Piero
Cappuccilli. The conductor
is the great Tullio Serafin
who was 80 years old
when this recording
was made.
IN YOUK NEXT ISSUES
11 THE BARBER OF
SEVILLE
Gioacchino Rossini
MarIA CALLAS * LuIGI ALVA *TITO GOBBI * FRITZ OLLENDORFF
NICOLA ZACCARIA * GABRIELLA CARTURAN
ConpbucTor: ALCEO GALLIERA
eaturing the legendary
ca of Maria Callas
and Tito Gobbi, both singers
bring not only their wonderful
voices but also brilliant comic
timing and subtlety of
expression to Rossini’s Seville.
Luigi Alva adds a sweet, lyrical
touch in the role of Count
Almaviva on the recording
which was made at EMI's
London studios.
12 RIGOLETTO
Giuseppi Verdi
GIORGIO ZANCANARO * DANIELA DEssI * VINCENZO LA SCOLA
PaaTA BURCHULDZE * MARTHA SENN
Conbucror: RiccARDO MUTI
iccardo Muti
devoted special
attention to Verdi while
music director of Milan’s
Teatro Alla Scala and
this performance is
notable for his
adventurous casting —
— the young Daniela Dessi
is paired with Vincenzo
La Scola — but Muti calls in the voice of experience for the role
of Rigoletto using the tried and tested strengths of the rock-
solid Italian baritone Giorgio Zancanaro.

ABOUT THE RECORDING
The brilliant conductor Riccardo
Muti has always emphasised the fiery,
vivacious side to the three great
Mozart-Da Ponte operas, and the ex-
citement of this live performance
helps to bring out the apparent spon-
taneity of his thoroughly disciplined
Mozart style. The cast is a pleasing
mix of stars — the Greek mezzo Agnes
Baltsa and the American diva Kathleen
Battle, singing Despina relatively early in
her career — and singers well versed
in the true spirit of the Mozart ensemble
such as Francisco Araiza and the
much - underrated Margaret Marshall.
TRACK 1 The overture includes two
references to the opera’s title (rough-
ly translated as ‘women are like that’)
in the form in which it is later to be
sung by a triumphant Don Alfonso;
here it creeps in on violas, cellos and
basses. The main comic business is
neatly passed to and fro between
strings and woodwind.
TRACK 2 Chirruping violins lead us
vividly into the first scene, for the
men: a coffee-house debate between
Ferrando and Guglielmo on their
sweethearts’ virtues, un-
dermined by the worldly-
wise comments of the
‘philosopher’, Don Alfonso.
TRACK 3 The sisters, when we first
meet them, are in more leisurely
mood - mooning romantically over
portraits of their fiancées with a
little help from the orchestral
clarinets (which were invariably
employed by Mozart when he
wanted to conjure up an
amorous atmosphere).
TRACK 4 With their lovers supposedly
off to the wars, Fiordiligi and Dorabella
join with Don Alfonso - apparently serious
for once — in hoping for a calm sea
and prosperous voyage. Supporting
strings play the part of the gentle
breezes in this magical trio.
Track5 The maid Despina has a less
romantic view of the male sex, ex-
pounded in a lilting, trilling number.
ISSN 1355-6770
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771355677001 | Cassette
PROGRAMME NOTES
Cast list
Fiordiligi * MARGARET MARSHALL
Soprano Dorabella’s sister
Dorabella * AGNES BALTSA
Mezzo-soprano Fiordiligi’s sister
Guglielmo * JAMES MORRIS
Baritone Fiordiligi’s fiancé
Ferrando * FRANCISCO ARAIZA
Tenor Dorabella’s fiancé
Despina * KATHLEEN BATTLE
Soprano The sister’s maid
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by RiccaRDo MutT!
TRACK 6 Fiordiligi protests too much hand, is completely sincere: he sings
over her constancy. She will be solid one of Mozart’s loveliest tenor arias,
as a rock, she declares, leaping from in praise of love.
the top to the bottom of the regis-
ter with exaggerated emphasis TRACKS 8&9 A sample of Muti’s
(Mozart apparently used the device dazzling way with the comic
to capitalise on the absurdity of his confusion ofa Mozart finale. The
original leading lady as she strained suitors have been supposedly rescued
for the high notes and tucked her from death by poisoning; Mozart
chin in for the low ones). offsets their recovery with the tentative
interest of the ladies and reactions
TRACK 7 Ferrando, on the other of the onlookers, Don Alfonso and
UK £4.49 Eire IR£5.49
Despina. In the rapid ensemble initiated
by the sisters’ refusal to grant a kiss,
both Fiordiligi and Ferrando have
florid passages to sing — suggesting
that they may be well suited when
the time comes.
TRACK 10 Another pert, dancing
number for Despina to advertise
her worldliness, with appropriately
bucolic overtones.
TRACK 11 Romantic mooning set
aside, the sisters seem to breathe a
sigh of relief as they decide to have
fun with their new suitors.
TRACK 12 A more reflective duet,
but still a light-hearted one: the
easily persuaded Dorabella seems
well suited to the disguised
Guglielmo as she answers him in
phrases of the same coin, though
the two horns - symbols for the
cuckold - remind us of the lover she
is deceiving.
TRACK 13 The horns play an
important part, too, in the number
which stands at the very heart of the
opera: Mozart’s sympathy for his
Fiordiligi shines
through in this restrained
but still deeply felt aria.
TRACK 14 Guglielmo-
though his Fiordiligi has so far
remained faithful - seems angry
rather than indulgent towards
womenkind in this bristling comic
aria, with its brilliant parts for
trumpets and timpani.
TRACK 15 The crucial duet: Fiordiligi,
determined to join her fiancé on the
battlefield, is interrupted by Ferrando.
The slow section, which finds him
at his most persuasive, would make
a stone weep; and sure enough, she
yields — but the oboe phrase against
which she does so, makes the scene
one of extreme pathos
TRACK 16 All misunderstandings
resolved - or at least for the time
being - the six singers then step out
of character in order to point an
enlightened moral. Once again,
Muti’s brilliant approach ensures
that the reconciliation and closing
scene is a genuinely happy and
comic one.