A breath of fresh sea-side air on this much loved Mozart opera
Over the past few years, State Opera South Australia have brought Adelaide audiences some fresh takes on classic operas. Their latest offering, Opera Queensland’s production of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte is another shining example of just this. From the down beat of the first bar through to the final cut off, this production is a wonderful celebration of this brilliant opera.
Director Patrick Nolan and his creative team have done a remarkable job taking this work from 1790 and giving it a fresh coat of paint, creating a visual and sonic masterpiece. This production of Cosi Fan Tutte not only requires a cast who are vocally at the top of their game, but they must also be skilled actors to make it believable. Nolan’s cast is world-class and cannot be faulted.
The story is simple: we meet two young soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, and their lovers, Dorabella and Fiordiligi who are all madly in love with their respective partners. The men meet their friend, Don Alfonso, who bets that faithful women don’t exist and never will. He proposes that Ferrando and Guglielmo disguise themselves and try to woo the women to fall in love with their disguised selves. Aided by the housekeeper, Despina, Don Alfonso does what he can to keep the wager running for as long as possible. What results is a series of hi jinx, hilarity and misfortune that, in true opera fashion, resolve rather abruptly at the end.
Mozart’s score and Lorenzo Da Ponte’s libretto are full of incredibly cheeky motives that Nolan has captured brilliantly. The original text translates beautifully to a more modern setting. Elizabeth Gadsby’s Italian Neoclassical villa set is a visual treat. She has created a beautiful playground for the action to take place, complete with a stunning trompe l’oeil across the surfaces. The set has drawn on classic Italian films such as La Dolce Vita and the television series The White Lotus. It is simply breathtaking.
Adrian Strooper and Nick Lester give a strong and believable performance as Ferrando and Guglielmo. You would not have noticed that Strooper was brought in at the eleventh hour to cover the role for Kyle Stegall, who has had to step out of the opening weekend of performances due to injury. Strooper’s soaring tenor voice was stunning in his arias and gave a very engaging performance. Lester’s rich baritone voice brought great strength and drive to the role, but his softer, tender side that came through in several aria’s would just melt your soul. The pair together worked extremely well and would often have the audiences burst out in fits of laughter.
Sky Ingram as Fiordiligi and Anna Dowsley as Dorabella are a visual and aural treat. Both bring a wealth of experience to this production, bringing a freshness and drive to each of the roles that pull the audience along with their internal conflicts with love. Ingram’s soaring soprano voice is divine. Her voice is simply stunning to listen to, especially through her coloratura work, where her training and technique are just spot on. Dowsley’s voice is glorious, dynamic and flexible. It is brimming with vocal integrity and full of emotion. Their duet early in Act One was simply golden.
Christopher Hillier and Jessica Dean round out the lead cast as Don Alfonso and Despina. What a pair, what a treat. Dean, at times, nearly steals the production with her hilarious incognito characters. Her performance was full of cheek and vocal exquisite. Hillier gave a strong performance with impressive vocal dynamics.
Supporting the leads, the State Opera Chorus gave a fine performance. Unlike some operas, Cosi Fan Tutte doesn’t rely heavily on the chorus, with only a few fleeting appearances. Nolan has used them to his advantage as hotel workers who manage the slick scene changes and some impressive quick costume changes for the leading men. When they do get their few moments to sing, Chorus Master Anthony Hunt has once again drilled them well. They are clear with excellent, crisp diction.
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Dane Lam, are the icing on this production. Providing a lush, rich accompaniment, it is another reminder of how lucky we are in South Australia to have one of the world’s best orchestras at our fingertips to be utilised for State Opera’s productions.
State Opera South Australia’s Cosi Fan Tutte is a must see for opera fans, but it is also a wonderful starting point for those who are not familiar with the world of opera. It is light hearted, fun and wonderfully staged. Brava.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: Andrew Beveridge
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: August 29 – September 7, 2024
Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes (including a 20 minute intermission)
Tickets: From $75
Bookings: https://stateopera.com.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte/
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