Cosi fan Tutte Alla Breve
Fri Nov 29, 19:30 - Fri Nov 29, 21:00
Evita se Perron, 8 Arcadia St, Darling, 7345
ABOUT
Opera in Darling and AGL Opera’s new production of Mozart's outwardly comical masterpiece Cosi fan Tutte or the School of Lovers, like its predecessors Don Giovanni and Die Entführung aus dem Serail, aims to charm, to seduce and to make us reconsider what it means to be human.
As one can expect from the pioneer of “opera alla breve” in South Africa, the original work has been condensed to its musical substance, performed by half a dozen young singers, and accompanied not by an orchestra but by a pianist only. It again has a present-day story line and setting without stage set and costumes; props reduced to a bare minimum. Ideal for a town in South Africa called Darling. However, Opera in Darling’s previous productions grew legs that took them to Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Greyton, Stellenbosch, Vredenburg, Elgin and London, to a cutting- edge theatre, the Tricycle.
The new opera is set in a cosy lady’s bar in a West Coast seaside resort. The emotions and devotions of lovers are challenged by the bar-tender, who believes that women are not to be trusted when it comes to love. As the audience are enjoying their sundowners they become the judges in a story of exploitation of two pairs of lovers, wondering what “real love” is.
Originally directed, in Opera in Darling's customary entertaining and sparkling fashion, by the exciting young Xolane Marman, based on a script by multi - talented Dr. Johannes van Staden-Slabbert, well known to music lovers who have seen and heard him in Opera in Darling's previous productions.
Musical director and accompanist is again the fabulous Dr. Lisa Engelbrecht, one of South Africa's most highly regarded vocal coaches.
The singers are some of the best of UCT and its world-renown opera school. They present the treasure-chest of arias with their amazing voices and tell the story with great comedic talent. They show how exciting opera can be.