Another Triumph for WHO
Andy Fawthrop
Following the excellent recent production of La Belle Helene at Devizes’ Wharf Theatre back in March (see here), White Horse Opera (WHO) have triumphed yet again by bringing their production of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte to D-Town.
Così fan tutte is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte (who also wrote Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni). Così fan tutte, literally means “So do they all”, using the feminine plural (tutte) to indicate women. It is usually translated into English as “women are like that”. We’ll get to that in a minute.
Mozart and Da Ponte used the idea of “fiancée swapping”, which is a recurring theme dating back to at least the 13th century; notable earlier versions are found in Boccaccio’s Decameron, and Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline. Elements from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew are also present. Whilst it’s likely that nowadays we’d see such an idea as somewhat “problematical”, in opera terms such unacceptable behaviour is seen merely as a comic problem to be resolved with a neat and happy ending.
So it was that White Horse Opera (WHO) brought this sparkling jewel to life last night in the elegant surroundings of the Assembly Room in the Town Hall. Unlike many operas requiring a large cast, chorus and orchestra, Cosi Fan Tutte can be played with only six singers and a pianist, and this made it a perfect piece to transport into a smaller, intimate atmosphere. Using a simple backdrop, a few screens and virtually no props, the production was allowed to breathe. The spoken dialog and the songs (all in English) were straightforward and easy to follow, allowing the comedy to shine through (although there was a helpful synopsis in the programme too). This minimalist approach, thanks to Lewis Cowen’s staging, and Roland Melia’s musical direction, kept it all as light as a feather.
All six singers excelled in their roles, and it would be invidious to single any one of them out. Seriously – they were all on cracking form. The solos, duets and ensemble pieces were all well-delivered, glittering like jewels in a crown. And the “seventh” member of the cast, pianist Tony James, who was on-stage throughout every scene in this two-act production, provided exactly the right supportive, yet under-stated, musical platform for the singers to really shine.
I loved this production – it was a chance to get up close to the stage and the mechanics of the performances, and to chat with the performers during the interval and afterwards. It was as far as it was possible to be from the “grand idea” of opera – i.e. a big cast production in a large gilded opera house with all the social trimmings and conventions. It proved, if proof be needed, that such a stripped-back delivery can provide all of the good things about opera, but without the concomitant fripperies.
To take such themes as love, trust, fidelity, deception, betrayal, forgiveness and reconciliation, to say nothing of the supposed “weakness of women”, and the cynical view of Don Alfonso that (to quote someone more contemporary) “if you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with”, and to deliver all this up in less than two and a quarter hours, was no mean feat. Leaving aside the dubious morality of testing fidelity by swapping girl-friends, using (deliberately risible) disguises, the manipulation if others by the main character, and the portrayal of women as weak characters who simply can’t help themselves, sits uncomfortably with a modern audience. But, hey, this is comic opera, and you need to join in with the joke. Yes, it’s all very contrived and very silly, but that’s how comic opera works. And you can see exactly where Gilbert & Sullivan were coming from when they unleashed their satirical take on many of these devices.
So – an absolutely spiffing and hats-off production by WHO. Sparkling staging and singing, and all completely accessible. Do go and see them whenever you get chance. We’re so lucky to have such a talented outfit working in and around our town.
Bravo!
CAST
Fiordiligi– Barbara Gompels
Dorabella– Paula Boyagis
Guglielmo – Jon Paget
Ferrando – Robert Felstead
Despina –Toni Johnstone
Don Alfonso – Robin Jukes
Musical Director Roland Melia, Stage Director Lewis Cowen, Pianist Tony James
White Horse Opera are based in Devizes and regularly perform operas around Wiltshire and beyond.
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