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Cosi fan Tutte

 

Composer

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Librettist

Lorenzo da Ponte (English translation, Marmaduke E Brown, revised by John Cox)

Venue and Dates

English National Opera, London Coliseum.

(Revival of the 1980 ENO production)

17, 21, 23, 27, 29 November, 3 December 1990 (also 5 more performances in Dec without SK)

Conductor

Peter Robinson (Chorus Master Stephen Clarke)

Director

John Cox

Performers

Ferrando : Glenn Winslade

Guglielmo : Simon Keenlyside

Don Alfonso : Andrew Shore

Fiordiligi : Rita Cullis

Dorabella : Ethna Robinson

Despina : Elizabeth Gale

Production

Design : Roger Butlin


 

What the critics say

Edward Greenfield for the Guardian, 20th November 1990

MOZART'S Cosi fan tutte may seem an odd entertainment for the Christmas season at English National Opera, but there is, after all, something of the frolic of pantomime, not to mention the commedia dell'arte, in Da Ponte's schematic to-ing and fro-ing of love.

It was all the more disappointing in the opening performance of the present run that the mixture failed to fizz, even though the ingredients were first-rate, and there was much to enjoy in a sober sort of way.

John Cox's production, first seen just 10 years ago, with its architectural Neapolitan sets by Roger Butlin, relates us in time and manners to the world of civilised Regency society, bringing Da Ponte close to the stylised manners of Jane Austen. Yet in this revival the result remains disconcertingly plain, and a highly promising cast, almost all of them new to their roles, are made to seem heavy-handed.

Even Andrew Shore, whose Papageno was a riotous success of in the recent revival of The Magic Flute, failed to register the dominance of the manipulator in his Don Alfonso. The voice was in fine form, cutting and precise with perfect diction, but that made one regret all the more Mozart's failure to provide Alfonso with a really substantial solo.

The pairs of lovers too all sang well yet had to labour hard, and it was left to Elizabeth Gale, a stalwart of Mozart at Glyndebourne, to demonstrate the art of finding sparkle and charm in the piece. Her animation, her concern for detailed movement, were a lesson to everyone. Yet with Peter Robinson returning to conduct this revival, the musical side was never less than efficient, and often much more. Rita Cullis in particular, singing her first Fiordiligi, went from strength to strength. The two big arias found her at her finest. The formidable leaps were achieved with satisfying security and real beauty. Only a full chest register eludes her. Once those vocal tests were over, she blossomed still more, and the moment when Fiordiligi finaIly gave in to Ferrando's pleas was the most touching of the night.

The ensemble she achieved with Ethna Robinson as Dorabella brought pinpoint clarity - how endlessly they must have practised together - and though the voice is on a different scale Miss Robinson too sang with complete security. Glenn Winslade as Ferrando was amiably warm-toned, only occasionally too strenuous, while Simon Keenlyside as Guglielmo made the most promising of ENO debuts, using his finely focussed baritone with point and imagination, perfectly contrasted against the equally well-sung Alfonso of Andrew Shore.

With such ingredients and the magic of Mozart, it can't be long before the production gets airborne.