COSI FAN TUTTE (Thus are all women) - Mozart
A moment in the courtship of either pair of lovers The picture has that lush and decadent feel so often associated with the eighteenth century, hence the opulence of fabric and pattern. The relationship between men and women is the war of the sexes shown in many different ways. He is in military uniform, as befits the character as well as the themes. She reclines on the sofa, a sword on either side of her. Behind her is a bow. The idea of the primal savagery which underlies the veneer of civilisation, shown by the tea-cups, the candelabra, the dress, is carried through in the depiction of the hunt. She lies on a leopardskin chaise-longue, and the lifeless bodies of stoats fall about her.
Neither of their faces can be seen - who is who? She is masked, and behind her the wall is covered in masks - are they all hers, all her different aspects, or those of others? Above them a marionette hangs. They may be playing games with each other, or may be at the mercy of Don Alfonso, or maybe life itself. To reinforce the idea of it all being chance, the man is holding out some Tarot cards to her, in a ‘choose your destiny' manner. The top card is ‘The Lovers' but others include ‘Death' and ‘The Devil'. It is all a game, though possibly a dark one. So all in all roll your dice and have a laugh.
Synopsys
Typical Mozart comedy involving infidelity, mistaken identity, and coquettishness. Two sisters, Fiordiligh and Dorabella are engaged to two friends, Ferrando and Giuseppe. The men boast to an old bachelor, Don Alfonso, about the fidelity of their respective loves. He asks if they are prepared to bet on it, and they agree. He then tells them they must tell the women they have been called away to war, which they do, and then come back in disguise to woo them, but changing sisters. After much persuasion and courtship, where both men and women find how much they are enjoying the flirtation and the chase, the women succumb, and agree to marry. A false ceremony takes place, after which it is announced that Ferrando and Giuseppe have returned. The new disguised husbands flee, and return as themselves. The deception is made know, and the lovers reunited ironically in their original formation.
All images and text Copyright © 2003 Caroline Blackburn.