Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute are both seen as problem Mozart operas, embodying attitudes perceived as potentially misogynistic, but both are susceptible to modern sympathetic contextualisation. And they both contain undeniably sublime music. This Opera Australia revival of Sir David McVicar's production of Così at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, first seen in 2016, was just about perfect in every respect.
Set in Edwardian style, Moritz Junge's attractive, efficient set opens in a gentlemen’s club, with billiards table and snifters all round. At the first scene change, this setting slides away to reveal a vista of glittering blue sea, the two sisters framed against it with their backs to the audience in what appeared to be a spacious pavilion. Succeeding scenes are well differentiated to different degrees of indoor and outdoor settings. The early 20th-century costuming ensures that the women wear graceful gowns, or fetching but modest – by TikTok standards – underwear, and the men sport elegant suits or uniforms. When disguised as Albanian soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo wear something for once very much resembling Albanian costumes – embroidered vests over white skirts over pantaloons and boots.
The fairly silly shenanigans with Despina in disguise are amusingly handled, with the quite diminutive Alexandra Oomens kitted out in convincing little suits, and a Heath Robinson Mesmer apparatus built around a mobile sewing machine, with long snaking tubes applied to the apparently dying suitors. The conclusion of Mozart's opera is challenging – should the sisters be happy with the new arrangements? Or should they be somehow reunited with their original beaux? In this case, at the very last minute they evince regret, and turn to their first choices with the curtain falling on a four-way tug o’war.
The music and drama were in perfect sync under Greek conductor Zoe Zeniodi and revival director Andy Morton. At no point did the action sag, but equally pauses were carefully paced to allow high and low points to make their impact. After a briskly performed overture, the Opera Australia Orchestra provided excellent support for the singers. Mention should be made of fortepianist Siro Battaglin who provided a graceful continuo. The Opera Australia Chorus – small scale version – contributed tight ensemble work.
The principals were well cast with respect to voice and acting ability. Fiordiligi was brilliantly performed by rising English soprano Nardus Williams. While Mozart is supposed to have written the role as a kind of trap for an obnoxious diva, it can be performed, as it was here, with emotional commitment and gravitas. The arias “Come scoglio” and “Per pietà” were riveting show-stoppers, the vocal leaps sounding effortless and with thrilling high notes. Dorabella was sung by the no less excellent Australian mezzo-soprano Helen Sherman, previously heard in Sydney in Baroque roles with Pinchgut Opera, here tackling Mozart with rich creamy tone and executing some excellent double takes. Oomens, another Pinchgut alumna, was a charming and entertaining Despina, singing with rather more gorgeous tone than we often hear in this role.
The men were a good match, with Ferrando sung by New Zealand-Tongan tenor Filipe Manu with fine ringing tone, and Guglielmo was Australian baritone Nathan Lay who sang with resonant voice and the right touch of swaggering bravado, until the final disillusionment. Richard Anderson was a vocally and dramatically suave Don Alfonso. The whole cast convinced not just as individuals but in their interactions and in all of Mozart’s shimmering ensembles. This was a well nigh flawless rendition of what Louis Nowra (in his script for the Australian movie Cosi) called “this beautiful foolish thing”.
