ACT I
SCENE I
A café in Naples. Don Alfonso, an old bachelor philosopher,
discusses the faithfulness of women with his friends Ferrando and
Guglielmo, two young officers who insist that their sweethearts,
two sisters Dorabella and Fiordiligi, are faithful to them. Don
Alfonso bets one hundred gold coins that, if they give him one day
and do everything he asks, he will prove their sweethearts are
unfaithful.
SCENE II
A garden overlooking the sea. Fiordiligi and Dorabella are
comparing pictures of their sweethearts when Don Alfonso pays a
visit, bringing news that Guglielmo and Ferrando have been ordered
away with their regiment. The two men appear, and the sisters sadly
say goodbye to them. A boat arrives on the shore with a group of
soldiers, and Guglielmo and Ferrando join them. Don Alfonso is
delighted with his plan and convinced that he will win the bet.
SCENE III
The parlour of Fiordiligi and Dorabella’s house. The maid Despina
complains about a servant’s life while preparing some hot
chocolate. The sisters appear and tell the maid about their
misfortune. Despina does not give it much importance and consoles
her mistresses, advising them to forget their old lovers with the
help of new ones, as Ferrando and Guglielmo will probably do while
away at the front. The sisters, scandalized by Despina’s advice,
leave in anger. Don Alfonso takes advantage of the fact that
Despina is alone and convinces her to help him to introduce the
sisters to new suitors: two exotic Albanians, who are actually
Ferrando and Guglielmo in disguise. Don Alfonso’s plan is that each
one will woo the other’s sweetheart to prove that women are
naturally unfaithful. Fiordiligi and Dorabella receive the
newcomers without much interest, pushing them away. When the three
men are alone, Ferrando and Guglielmo laugh at Don Alfonso’s failed
plan and are sure they will win the bet. They are overjoyed, but
the old philosopher reminds them that the day is not over yet.
SCENE IV
The sisters have retreated to a garden. Don Alfonso arrives with
the Albanians, who claim to have taken poison. With this new
strategy he expects the young women to be affectionate and
compassionate with the men who are fatally ill. The women call
Despina, who leaves them caring for the foreigners while she
fetches the doctor. The maid returns disguised as the doctor and
pretends to draw off the poison with a magnet, then watches with
Don Alfonso as Fiordiligi and Dorabella waver under new
declarations of love from their admirers. Ferrando and Guglielmo
are now not so sure they will win the bet.
ACT II
SCENE I
A room in the sisters’ house. Despina urges Fiordiligi and
Dorabella to choose their favourite and each one picks the other’s
suitor, according to Don Alfonso’s plan.
SCENE II
A garden overlooking the sea. After the Albanians serenade the
sisters, Despina and Don Alfonso leave the four young people
together. Guglielmo, who is courting Dorabella, succeeds in
replacing her portrait of Ferrando with a new charm. Ferrando has
no such luck with Fiordiligi, who still thinks of Guglielmo. When
the two men meet up later, Ferrando is furious over Dorabella’s
betrayal and Guglielmo is pleased with Fiordiligi’s steadfastness.
But Don Alfonso is not finished yet.
SCENE III
Under Despina’s supervision, Dorabella tries to persuade Fiordiligi
to give in to the charming Albanian, but Fiordiligi insists that
they must meet their sweethearts at the front. Ferrando persists
with his amorous advances, however, and this time he wins her over.
Now Guglielmo is furious. The two friends are angry. Don Alfonso
calms them down and suggests they continue with the farce, giving
little importance to the girls’ unfaithfulness. He suggests they
marry their respective sweethearts who they have won over. In that
way they will see how far the two women are prepared to go and will
teach them a lesson. After all, “that’s what they all do” (così
fan tutte), the three friends conclude.
SCENE IV
Nightfall. The two sisters and the Albanians are married by a
notary, none other than Despina in disguise once more. As they sign
the contracts, the women hear a military march in the distance that
announces the return of their suitors. Fiordiligi and Dorabella
hurriedly hide the Albanians and try to compose themselves in order
to receive Ferrando and Guglielmo, who have taken off their
disguises and enter dressed as soldiers. Confessions are made by
the sisters and they ask for the men’s forgiveness. Don Alfonso
asks the lovers to learn from this lesson and they all join
together in song, as the day comes to a happy end.
Così fan tutte
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
From September 27th to October 4th, 2020
Sala Principal
Approximate running time: 2h15
Synopsis
Creative Team
New semi-staged production of Palau de les Arts Reina
Sofía
| Conductor | Scenic concept | Lighting Designer |
| Stefano Montanari | Silvia Costa | Marco Giusti |
Cast
| Federica Lombardi | Paula Murrihy | Marina Monzó | Davide Luciano | Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani | Nahuel Di Pierro |
| Fiordiligi | Dorabella | Despina | Guglielmo | Ferrando | Don Alfonso |
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana Chorus master Francesc Perales
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
