Science goes screwball in Maggio Musicale's new Così fan tutte

By Elena Luporini, 01 September 2021

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“Hampson endowed his portrayal of Don Alfonso with seasoned acting experience and natural charisma”

Reviewed at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence on 30 August 2021

Mozart, Così fan tutte

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Ádám Fischer, Conductor

Sven-Eric Bechtolf, Director

Julian Crouch, Set Designer

Kevin Pollard, Costume Designer

Alex Brok, Lighting Designer

Joshua Higgason, Video

Valentina Naforniţă, Fiordiligi

Kate Lindsey, Dorabella

Matthew Swensen, Ferrando

Thomas Hampson, Don Alfonso

Mattia Olivieri, Guglielmo

Benedetta Torre, Despina

Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Jessica Pratt triumphs in a new Lucrezia Borgia in Florence

Laura Servidei, 9th November

Despite the Maggio Musicale stage being dominated by clerical garb and daring papal parallels, the true revelation is Jessica Pratt's breathtaking role debut as Lucrezia.

****1

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's Don Giovanni falls at the final hurdle

Laura Servidei, 6th May

The Maggio postpones Pountney’s expected new production of Don Giovanni, presenting Ferrara’s production from Spoleto instead, with a good cast in the hands of Zubin Mehta.

**111

Florence's finest: Teatro del Maggio's compelling new Don Carlo

Roy Westbrook, 27th December

Five highly dissatisfied lead characters find only disastrous or ambiguous outcomes. Yet there are few greater operas than this.

*****

A Florentine Comedy: a lively Barbiere di Siviglia in Tuscany

David Larkin, 14th September

A lively and amusing Barbiere at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, with Daniele Gatti expertly marshalling the talents of Ruzil Gatin, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Nicola Alaimo and Fabio Capitanucci in Damiano Michieletto's colourfully minimalist staging.

****1

Juan Diego Flórez charms as Roméo in Florence

Elena Luporini, 3rd May

For the 84th edition of its summer festival, the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino presents its first ever production of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.

***11

Linda di Chamounix a bittersweet tale at the Maggio Musicale

Laura Servidei, 3rd October

Jessica Pratt shines in this Donizetti coloratura role, with the support of Teresa Iervolino as a luxury Pierotto, and a solid cast of Italian singers.

***11

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Elena Luporini

After completing their Master's degree in Musicology in Rome, Elena has now moved to Berlin to dedicate themselves to more things musical. With a publication on Béla Bartók and a seminar at the Humboldt-Universität underway, their interests mostly veer toward 20th-century opera, with some forays into queer musicology. Some of their latest undertakings also include oboe lessons, stencil-making and tea-making.