We went to see Mozart's opera Cosi Fan Tutte at the ENO in London. They send emails every so often with two for one ticket offers.
The production was a day glo Baz Luhrmann affair. The drama was set on a Coney Island fairground with the usual carnival tropes of fire eaters and bearded ladies. The three hours went by quickly , it looked good and the opera was entertaining.
The plot of Cosi Fan Tutte is straightforward . Two men are seen discussing the faithfulness of their fiancées. An ageing roué bets them he can prove all woman are fickle in one day. In a Shakespearen device he has the men pretend to leave for war. The men disguise themselves and attempt to woo their respective partners. At the end they succeed with a double wedding. When the fabrication is revealed there is recrimination but all is forgiven. Order is restored.
The soufflé light production is at variance with the darkness of jealousy and betrayal. To the writer the plot device seems pointless. If you are unsure of your partner both you and they have made a mistake. You need not resort to complicated ruses and deception. The relationship is void.
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