Mozart's great comic masterpiece Cosi Fan Tutte is the winter offering from Melbourne Opera.
Cosi Fan Tutte is a wonderful introduction to opera and is much loved by fans, and follows on from Carmen and La Boheme.
Melbourne Opera has again assembled a superb cast for this production under the direction of leading director Suzanne Chaundy.
Renowned for her fresh outlook on the repertoire Suzanne Chaundy has updated the traditional story to 1960s Melbourne, when strict moral values are challenged by free love.
Don Alfonso, local Bar and Pizzeria owner is somewhat jaded by his experience in love and challenges two young Vietnam soldiers to put their very traditionally raised Italian migrant girlfriends to the test. This involves the boys pretending to be "called up" to the despair of their girls but actually returning as Love Gurus to sweep the girls off their feet.
All this is aided and abetted by the far more worldly Despina. Confusion and high comedy ensues, combined with a somewhat more serious examination of the nature of love and attraction.
Regarded as one of Mozart and Da Ponte's greatest achievements, the opera features arias and ensembles unmatched in their musical and dramatic perfection.
Synopsis Photos by Robin Halls
CAST
| Fiordiligi | Danielle Calder & Emily Xiao Wang |
| Dorabella | Victoria Lambourn & Angela Hogan |
| Ferrando | Roy Best & Paul Biencourt |
| Guglielmo | Phillip Calcagno & Nathan Lay |
| Despina | Andrea Creighton & Nicole Wallace |
| Don Alfonso | Roger Howell & Ian Cousins |
CHORUS:
TENORS
Paul Dernelley
Tim Jaques
Nick Renfree-Marks
David Woodberry
BASSES
Michael Carr
Bernie Nolan
Roland Seidl
Robert Van Keulen
SOPRANOS
Jessiva Bull
Jodie Debono
Sue Halls
Fiona Jopson
Debra O'Connor
MEZZOS
Kathy Hatton
Maree Macmillan
Gabriella Page
Cecily Woodberry
Sue Robertson
| Director | Suzanne Chaundy |
| Conductor | Greg Hocking |
| Designer - Set & Costumes | Christina Logan-Bell |
| Lighting Designer | Lucy Birkinshaw |
| Costumier | Debra Hallam |
| Stage Manager | Gemma Fletcher |