Young lovers beware and take note. In Così fan tutte, the last of three operas librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte penned for Mozart in 1790, the philosopher Don Alfonso tells you men, from experience, that "Women are all the same", but that a greater love can forgive the infidelities of fickle women. Chivalrously, he blames the mistakes of men. On the other side of the fence, Despina the housemaid tells you women, "Foresee the misfortune so common to those who trust in men". Now one of the most performed operas worldwide, it's arguably the greatest opera buffa with a bite at sexual politics and a not too shabby advertisement for sexual revolution.
Following his magnificently dark Don Giovanni and tenderly dappled The Marriage of Figaro, director David McVicar's Così fan tutte unfolds with genuinely rich characterisation and subtle comic turns in another scenically beautiful production for Opera Australia. In its English translation (sung in Italian), Da Ponte's innuendo-soaked libretto reveals more than is acted on but the actions are nonetheless unforced, the pace is effectively engaging and the many scene changes morph splendidly over its two acts - that was until Act II when a mid-stage sliding wall panel wouldn't budge and the curtain came down with a pause in proceedings, a behind the scenes fix and an apology. In the hundreds of operas I've attended this was a first and the pause initially seemed unnecessary. But, when the intended fully exposed garden terrace scene appeared in deep blue evening light, it revealed the most evocative of set and costume designer Moritz Junge's enchanting and time-worn neoclassical walled spaces and David Finn's sharp summery lighting. All the while, McVicar's lively direction makes inroads into the entire stage area.
Maintaining the original location in Naples, McVicar cleverly transplants the action from the 18th to the early 20th century when a calm existed before the storm of World War I. Here, we're immersed in a setting for love and romance and a battle of the sexes at hand in an air of southern Italian unpretentiousness.
It wasn't all as perfect as could be, with an unpolished air seeping into the musical and vocal parts. As much as the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra played with overall finesse, starting with a tightly gushing overture, conductor Jonathan Darlington overly shook the tempi in the pit and unsettled the stage causing numerous erroneous vocal starts. On this night, the unending beauty of Mozart's score appeared disappointingly scattered.
With fractures not limited to the pit, and despite the score being beautifully sung, it was not consistently and rivetingly so with the many glorious vocal ensembles lacking binding strength. Still, the soloists rewarded with many radiant arias that pierced through the work with magnetic appeal. Act I's concluding sextet was however splendidly handled and the lively direction captured the hearts and intentions of the two sisters's resistance to the unabated advances of the two 'foreign' men.
As the cautious, protective and more compliant Fiordiligi, Nicole Car melts into the role with ease while measuring the vocal demands with care. Car's voice is gleaming, pliant and deliciously colourful, and she delivers one of the most heartfelt arias of the night. Preceded by an emotionally sympathetic recitative pensively asking the forgiveness of a loving heart, Car turns Act II, Scene II's "Per pietà, ben mio, perdona" into silk and gold with a captivating pianissimo that gives way to an intoxicating and despairing powerful sound.
Endearing, treacle-rich mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley steals many a moment with her cracker understated comic charm and nervous energy as Dorabella, with touches of comic inspiration from the great Carol Burnett. With Car, a convincing sisterly pairing emerged while their chalk-and-cheese differences created exciting curiosity concerning both their predicament and actions.
Taryn Fiebig scuttles about with a spot of rough-edged lewdness and cheeky Italian gesturing as Despina and cranks up the hilarity with her disguise as both doctor and notary. There's some forgetting to project at the voice's lower range but Fiebig displays luscious characterful vocals elsewhere in her role of power and in her advice to the two love-innocent sisters.
As a quick-tempered Ferrando, David Portillo fills the role amply after fellow American tenor, Charles Castronovo, one of today's most charismatic artists, withdrew. Portillo's shapely, bright, floating and cleanly enunciated tenor set sail from the start, giving Act I, Scene II's concluding "Un'aura amorosa", the most poignantly and technically superior aria to that point, warmly confident in voice and in his fiancée's faithfulness.
Andrew Jones lavishes heaps of bravado on Guglielmo with an in-form roaring-lion baritone to match the long golden mane of hair he wears as the disguised Turk, Wallachian or wherever the exotic pair really hail from. Together with Portillo, the camaraderie, the boys-will-be-boys play and the crossings are knitted soundly together in performance.
Don Alfonso is in gentlemanly hands with Richard Anderson's dignified performance and softly persuasive cigar-box bass that seems wondrously lifted off the walls of Act I's men's club. The soldiers and servants of the Opera Australia Chorus sing behind the scenes, pleasingly tuneful if somewhat muffled, in a sensibly directed move that focuses the entire drama on the principals.
Mozart and Da Ponte's opera never fails to draw you in with its subliminally inviting music and its infectious and provocative libretto. Opera Australia's newest production achieves much in McVicar's hands but a more concerted musical and vocal rendering would set it apart. Young lovers take note - there's much to take home and chew over in bed with this one.
Opera Australia
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Until 13th August
Production photographs: Prudence Upton
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| Andrew Jones, Nicole Car, Anna Dowsley and David Portillo |
Maintaining the original location in Naples, McVicar cleverly transplants the action from the 18th to the early 20th century when a calm existed before the storm of World War I. Here, we're immersed in a setting for love and romance and a battle of the sexes at hand in an air of southern Italian unpretentiousness.
It wasn't all as perfect as could be, with an unpolished air seeping into the musical and vocal parts. As much as the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra played with overall finesse, starting with a tightly gushing overture, conductor Jonathan Darlington overly shook the tempi in the pit and unsettled the stage causing numerous erroneous vocal starts. On this night, the unending beauty of Mozart's score appeared disappointingly scattered.
 |
| Nicole Car, Taryn Fiebig and Anna Dowsley |
As the cautious, protective and more compliant Fiordiligi, Nicole Car melts into the role with ease while measuring the vocal demands with care. Car's voice is gleaming, pliant and deliciously colourful, and she delivers one of the most heartfelt arias of the night. Preceded by an emotionally sympathetic recitative pensively asking the forgiveness of a loving heart, Car turns Act II, Scene II's "Per pietà, ben mio, perdona" into silk and gold with a captivating pianissimo that gives way to an intoxicating and despairing powerful sound.
Endearing, treacle-rich mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley steals many a moment with her cracker understated comic charm and nervous energy as Dorabella, with touches of comic inspiration from the great Carol Burnett. With Car, a convincing sisterly pairing emerged while their chalk-and-cheese differences created exciting curiosity concerning both their predicament and actions.
Taryn Fiebig scuttles about with a spot of rough-edged lewdness and cheeky Italian gesturing as Despina and cranks up the hilarity with her disguise as both doctor and notary. There's some forgetting to project at the voice's lower range but Fiebig displays luscious characterful vocals elsewhere in her role of power and in her advice to the two love-innocent sisters.
 |
| Act II, Scene II of Opera Australia's Così fan tutte |
Andrew Jones lavishes heaps of bravado on Guglielmo with an in-form roaring-lion baritone to match the long golden mane of hair he wears as the disguised Turk, Wallachian or wherever the exotic pair really hail from. Together with Portillo, the camaraderie, the boys-will-be-boys play and the crossings are knitted soundly together in performance.
Don Alfonso is in gentlemanly hands with Richard Anderson's dignified performance and softly persuasive cigar-box bass that seems wondrously lifted off the walls of Act I's men's club. The soldiers and servants of the Opera Australia Chorus sing behind the scenes, pleasingly tuneful if somewhat muffled, in a sensibly directed move that focuses the entire drama on the principals.
Mozart and Da Ponte's opera never fails to draw you in with its subliminally inviting music and its infectious and provocative libretto. Opera Australia's newest production achieves much in McVicar's hands but a more concerted musical and vocal rendering would set it apart. Young lovers take note - there's much to take home and chew over in bed with this one.
Opera Australia
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Until 13th August
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