Thus Do They All, or The School For Lovers. The story plays In eighteenth century Naples. Two young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, are in love with their respective fiancés, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella. They adore their virtuous ladies, who would never cheat on them. Cynic Don Alfonso bets them that he can make the lady’s unfaithful within twenty-four hours. The officers take the bet.
Off To The War
Don Alfonso makes Ferrando and Guglielmo leave their home, pretending to follow their duties to fight in a war. In fact they disguise in a seemingly ridiculously exotic manner as two rich Albanian merchants. In this role they ask to get an ok to visit the two adorable young women.
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are in love with their fiancés. Don Alfonso goes on with his intrigue and gets the ladies maid, Despina, on his side. She tells the ladies that a little flirt with the two strangers would certainly be harmless. The sisters agree and meet the two Albanians, really their fiancés in disguise. At first the young ladies remain steadfast in their faithfulness.
Marry The Alleged Albanians?
In the end the alleged Albanians pretend to drink poison, for their lives would be meaningless without the beauty of the maidens. The only way to keep them living would be a marriage with the ladies. Reluctantly, Fiordiligi and Dorabella give in and agree to marry the Albanians, unknowingly swapping their actual fiancés. Despina, the maid, disguised as a notary, brings in a marriage contract.
Happy End
As the sisters sign the contract, they hear marching and believe their beloved officers have returned. Quickly, they push the Albanians out of the room. When the officers return without their disguises and furiously demand an explanation, the cynic Alfonso says it’s just the way of fickle women. The officers forgive the sisters and the two couples get married.
Così Fan Tutte
The Italian title of the opera buffa translates literally: “thus do they all”. The Mozart Opera was first performed in ancient Vienna in the year 1790. It is even today an amazing play with some of the most wonderful arias and a lot of laughs.
Così Fan Tutte, New York 2009
In an unusual staging of Cosi fan Tutte in April of 2009 in New York, Mozart’s comic opera about a game of fiancé-swapping was given a new twist. The opera’s intent was to leave the decision to marry to the men. In addition, it is the men who forgive the women, although they themselves are at fault in the deception. While Mozart’s original Cosi fan Tutte considers it a given that women are fickle and behave badly, this new version of the opera challenges old expectations.
The New York production leaves the decision whom to marry to the women. They are free to marry their original partners, the partners they inadvertently “swapped,” or they can marry the “Albanians.” During intermission, the audience gets to cast a vote in favor of the favored bridegrooms. In addition, since the men are responsible for the deception, a small song is added in which the men apologize. This is a play in which women have options and control over their lives. Men are no longer the sole decision-makers. While the theme of Cosi fan Tutte is that “all women behave thus,” this new production insists that there is no defining women. Mozart would have approved.