Mozart: La finta semplice

Classical Opera makes its Southbank Centre début at the newly renovated Queen Elizabeth Hall with two semi-staged performances of Mozart’s first full-length opera, La finta semplice. Written when the composer was just twelve years old, the opera is based on a sparkling comedy by Carlo Goldoni, and combines situations of great comic invention and genuine humour with music of extrordinary beauty, energy and psychological insight.

Ian Page directs a superb international cast of world-class young singers, headed by the rapidly emerging Swiss soprano Regula Mühlemann, whose solo recording contract with Sony Classical was recently launched with a highly acclaimed disc of Mozart arias.

Cremona, Northern Italy, 1768. Fracasso and Simone, two soldiers, want to marry Giacinta and Ninetta, but cannot do so without the consent of Giacinta’s eccentric brothers, Cassandro and Polidoro. When Fracasso’s sister, Rosina, arrives, a plot is hatched – but can she soften the misogynistic brothers and make them recognise the pleasures of love...?