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A scene from the opera Cosi fan Tutte - Photo: Courtesy of organizers
The opera was ahead of its time – a classic written in 1790 but with a theme that is utterly contemporary and completely relevant to modern audiences. It is a story of relationships, love, and being faithful and loyal to one’s partners. It shows women trying to be faithful but eventually giving in, in the face of temptation orchestrated by the very partners they say they ought to be faithful to. Should people follow their heads or their hearts, or even simply their passions and feelings?
The story shows partners being swapped – unknowingly on the part of the women, but very much intentionally by the men. The ending is unclear, do the lovers return to their original partners, stay with the new ones, or indeed, do the four of them live together happily ever after? The audience is left to decide.
The opera was performed several times in forward-thinking Vienna, but after Mozart’s death it began to be considered too shocking and was rarely performed throughout the 19th century.
Although the VNOB held this opera before in 2007, this production is a new, shortened version directed and conducted by Graham Sutcliffe. The opera will be performed in Italian with Vietnamese and English subtitles.
There are six characters of which the two soprano roles, Fiordilgi and Dorabella will be played by Pham Ha Thang Long and Huong Diep/Phuong Dung. Gugliemo and Ferrando, the two male roles will be played by Phan Duc and Thanh Binh, and Kieu Tham and Anh Vu. Don Alfonso will be sung by baritone Manh Dung, and Despina by Vanh Khuyen.
Tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street in Hanoi or can be booked at: www.ticketvn.com or call 0913 489 858.
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