Mozart’s Così fan tutte first premiered over two centuries ago. Now, the Edmonton Opera brings you a reimagined production put on by a women-led creative team. The English translation of the Italian title is “women are like that,” a misogynistic jab towards women, suggesting that they are all unfaithful by nature. So, the creative team led by director Kim Mattice Wanat was in for a challenge: to offer a new, less misogynistic take on women in society.
The new take
This reimagination of Mozart’s romantic comedy sets the action in Naples during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century. Two sisters, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are put to the test when their fiancés, Ferrando and Guglielmo, plan an elaborate prank to test their faithfulness. Ferrando and Guglielmo tell their fiancés that they have to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, which is a lie. Instead, they dress in disguise, switch places, and try to seduce the women as if they are other men—the ultimate test of fidelity.
One way this production has offered a new understanding of women in society is through the reimagination of the role of Despina, Fiordiligi and Dorabella’s maid, played by soprano Caitlin Wood. Despina’s role as a shape-shifting Cupid presents the audience with a humorous, multi-faceted character who masterfully interferes and manipulates the events that unfold on stage. The depiction of Despina, Fiordiligi, and Dorabella reminds viewers that women have agency and that being “unfaithful by nature” is an idea rooted in misogyny.
The drama, theatrics, and comedy will pull at your heartstrings while making you laugh simultaneously. This opera explores topics of trust, love, and relationships—themes that still resonate with audiences over two centuries later.
Così fan tutte is in Italian with projected English translation. You can catch it on March 19, 22, and 25 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
