Hull New Theatre – until 6th April 2024
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
4****
Opera North brought Director Tim Albery’s revival of Cosi fan tutte to Hulls New Theatre last night. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s music with the libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte was brought to life by the very talented cast and Orchestra of Opera North who were conducted by Chloe Rooke.
Set in 18th century Naples Cosi fan tutte (or as it translates “they’re all the same”) tells the story of two sisters Fiordiligi (Alexandra Lowe) and Dorabella (Heather Lowe) and their lovers Guglielmo (Henry Neill) and Ferrando (Anthony Gregory). Philosopher Don Alfonso (Quirijn de Lang) bets the two young men that the women will not be faithful to them if the opportunity arises, the friends are convinced that they will be and they agree to follow Don Alfonsos instructions for 24 hours. The women are told that Guglielmo and Ferrando must leave for war immediately and of course they are very upset. Don Alfonso bribes the women’s servant, Despina (Pasquale Orchard), to introduce two foreign suitors to the women. The sisters don’t realise that the men are in disguise and they are in fact Guglielmo and Ferrando. The sisters are shocked by the men’s advances and quickly reject them. Despina again tries to get the woman to give the men a chance and they start to admit they are starting to feel attracted to them little knowing that they falling for their sister’s real-life love.
What follows is the sisters being conflicted in their feeling towards their lovers who they think they have gone to war and the two new suitors. We see the men thinking that women are “all the same” as they both admit their feelings have changed towards them. The sisters are ready to marry their new lovers when the news comes in that Guglielmo and Ferrando are coming home from the war, the sisters panic and then the men reveal themselves as being the foreign suitors all along. Don Alfonso wins his bet and Despina has to admit to the women that even she was taken in by the two men’s disguises.
There were only six cast members on the stage and a special mention must be made to Pasquale Orchard who played Despina. She is normally part of the chorus and took the part due to illness of the original cast member. She was brilliant and her diction, singing and acting were first class.
Opera North are a very talented company, everything came together to make this into a must-see production for any Opera fan.