First Day of Rehearsal: Così fan tutte

/

Cosi fan tutte rehearsals started yesterday and the artists are all smiles after their first sing through. Singers often refer to the first day of rehearsal as “the first day of school” which is even more appropriate when we’re doing Cosi! For those who don’t know, the full title is “Così fan tutte ossia La scuola degli amanti” which means “All women are like that or The School for Lovers” - too appropriate, right?

Mozart’s classic comedy lampoons relationships by introducing a cheeky bet to test the fidelity of two devoted couples. In our production, soprano Colleen Daly takes on the tour de force role of Fiordiligi, who proclaims that her love is as steady and immovable as a rock in the powerhouse aria “Come Scoglio.” She’s joined by mezzo-soprano and former OperaDelaware Young Artist Marie Engle as her impetuous and melodramatic sister, Dorabella, whose emotional outbursts are fodder for comedy and connection (who doesn’t like to be a little dramatic from time to time?). Amanda Sheriff, who sang Norina in OperaDelaware’s 2021 production of Don Pasquale, takes on the quirky, campy, and exuberant role of Despina, the sister’s bold maid who refuses to pull punches. In her saucy aria “In uomini, in soldati”, she warns the sisters not to expect loyalty from their partners. “The leaves and fickle breezes,” Despina says, “are more stable than men!”

The role of Don Alfonso, the jaded mentor who disparages romance and lays the groundwork for the bet, will be sung by Eric McKeever, baritone and OperaDelaware Artist in Residence. While the rest of the cast joined us at the OperaDelaware Studios only yesterday, Eric has been working with OD since early September, acting as an ambassador for the arts and using his infectious charisma to share the joy of opera with the people of Wilmington.

Baritone Paul La Rosa and tenor David Walton play Guglielmo and Ferrando, respectively. Paul is making his OperaDelaware debut as the charismatic and impulsive Guglielmo, while the naive and wide-eyed Ferrando will be sung by David Walton. David sang Ernesto in Don Pasquale last season, and his swoon-worthy singing is perfect for the romantic, heart-on-his-sleeve Ferrando.

We are just three weeks away from opening and if the sing through is any indication, we are in for quite a show! The music is sublime, the story is a scream, and we can’t wait to see you at the opera! Get your tickets today by clicking the button below or by visiting operade.org/tickets.