Così fan tutte at the Lyon Opera: a riskier bet than it seems

The third and final part of the successful Da Ponte trilogy, Così fan tutte brilliantly responds to the canons of opera buffa inspired by the commedia dell'arte.

The story takes place in Naples and features two couples, whose relationship is tested by the scheme of their friend, Don Alfonso.

Ferrando and Guglielmo, two young men in love with their fiancées, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, boast of their unwavering fidelity. Don Alfonso, a cynical old man, challenges them, claiming that all women are unfaithful and that love is fragile. To prove this, he proposes a bet: he convinces Ferrando and Guglielmo to pretend to go to war. They will then, in disguise, attempt to seduce each other's fiancée.

As this multi-band crossover unfolds, everyone inevitably loses some feathers. While everything ends relatively happily, the experience leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of our adventurous lovers, leading them to a deeper reflection on love and fidelity.

Created in 1790 in Vienna, Così fan tutte is part of its era, that of bourgeois revolutions that brought with them their share of aspirations for new freedoms. So many leaps into the unknown, generating potential anxieties.

For this new production at the Lyon Opera, director Marie-Ève ​​Signeyrole takes the work's subtitle— L'École des am ants—literally, sending the lovers to university to grapple with Don Alfonso, a philosophy professor. Here, he offers them the swinging experience as an opportunity to free themselves from their prejudices about fidelity.

In terms of performance, the soloists, chorus and orchestra of the Opera will be conducted by British conductor Duncan Ward.

Così fan tutte – From June 14 to 24 at the Lyon Opera www.opera-lyon.com