Meet the lovers in Così fan tutte
As we look forward to Opera North’s production of Così fan tutte opening at Leeds Grand Theatre on Fri 2 February, we were keen to find out more about Mozart’s wry look at love. The opera tells the tale of two sisters and their fiancés who agree to a wager placed by the cynical Don Alfonso that fidelity never lasts when tested. Cue disguises and surprises with plenty of laughter along the way – but what’s it like for the cast playing the four lovers?
Written by Elizabeth Simmonds
The boys
Henry Neill and Anthony Gregory sing Guglielmo and Ferrando, the two young friends who accept Don Alfonso’s challenge to prove their lovers will remain faithful.
Anthony tells us how he first encountered Così fan tutte and why he loves it so much: “I first came across this opera when I performed the role of Ferrando in my final year at the Royal College of Music. It was an especially memorable time as I was fortunate enough to meet and work opposite my wife, who’s also an opera singer!”
He continues: “Not only are there numerous sublime musical moments in the opera, but the characters (especially the boys) are also incredibly fun to perform. We spend a lot of the show in disguise playing various tricks and games on the girls!”
Máire Flavin as Fiordiligi sat down with Gavan Ring as Guglielmo and Nicholas Watts as Ferrando in Opera North's 2016 production of Così fan tutte. Credit Tristram Kenton.
The girls
For their female counterparts, part of the fun lies in having a stage sister, particularly as Alexandra Lowe (Fiordiligi) and Heather Lowe (Dorabella) share a surname.
As Alexandra explains: “The Dorabella/Fiordiligi bond is always a special one. With Heather, it was very much an instant connection as she’s such a lovely girl but also, as a performer, extremely generous. I love our dynamic on stage; I feel all I need to do is glance over at her to know what she’s thinking. With the same surname, we keep on wondering if we’re actually distant relations – how funny would that be?!”
The other brilliant aspect of the opera for Alexandra and Heather is that they get to wear some fabulous 18th century dresses. As Heather explains: “There are LAYERS of it! To start with, there’s the corseted top, then the underskirt, then the bustle/mini pannier, then the overskirts which are the most beautiful grey colour – with an amazing scarf topping it all off and providing a pop of colour. It will certainly be a warm night!”
Helen Sherman as Dorabella and Máire Flavin as Fiordiligi in Opera North's 2016 production of Opera North's 2016 production of Così fan tutte. Credit Tristram Kenton.
The opera
This being Mozart, there are also plenty of incredible musical moments to enjoy.
While Heather (Dorabella) loves the finale of Act One, Henry (Guglielmo), tells people to look out for the duet between his character and Dorabella in Act Two: “It’s a wonderful moment of honesty which is reflected perfectly in the music.”
Alexandra (Fiordiligi) picks out another duet towards the end of the opera: “I think my favourite has to be the duet between Fernando and Fiordiligi – the music in it is just so emotive.”
For anyone still debating whether this is the opera for them, Anthony encourages them to go for it: “The music is ravishing – Mozart at his absolute peak. The production is fun, clever and beautiful to look at. It’s sure to be a wonderful evening’s entertainment. Do come and see us!”
The lovers (and Don Alfonso) in Opera North's 2016 production. William Dazeley as Don Alfonso, Helen Sherman as Dorabella, Gavan Ring as Guglielmo, Máire Flavin as Fiordiligi and Nicholas Watts as Ferrando. Credit Tristram Kenton.
Helen Sherman as Dorabella and Gavan Ring as Guglielmo in Opera North's 2016 production of Così fan tutte. Credit Tristram Kenton.
Book tickets
Così fan tutte is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Fri 2 – Fri 23 February before going on tour.
Opera North’s winter season also includes a pairing of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana with Rachmaninov’s rarely-performed Aleko from Thu 15 – Sat 24 February.
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