Vienna Volksoper: Così fan tutte

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte
Premiere: 1790, Vienna
Style: Dramma giocoso (comic opera) in two acts

Così fan tutte is a witty and sophisticated opera about love, fidelity, temptation, and the complexity of human emotions.

Two young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, proudly insist that their fiancées, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are perfectly faithful. Their older friend Don Alfonso challenges this belief and persuades them to put their lovers to the test.

Pretending to leave for war, the two men secretly return disguised as strangers and begin courting each other's fiancée. Assisted by the clever maid Despina, the harmless wager soon becomes an emotional game in which disguises blur the line between appearance and reality. As genuine feelings emerge, each character is forced to confront love, jealousy, and personal weakness.

When the deception is finally revealed, the couples must decide whether trust can be rebuilt. Through forgiveness and self-reflection, they come to understand that love is not about perfection, but about accepting one another's imperfections.

Essence - Das Wesentliche

Così fan tutte is one of Mozart's most elegant and psychologically insightful operas, combining sparkling comedy, exquisite ensembles, and profound emotional depth. Beneath its playful wit lies a timeless exploration of love, trust, forgiveness, and human nature, reminding us that relationships flourish through honesty, compassion, and understanding.

The Volksoper Wien, or Vienna People's Opera, is one of Vienna's major opera houses. It's located in the 9th district and is renowned for its diverse programming that includes operas, operettas, musicals, and ballets. Founded in 1898 originally as a straightforward theatre, it has developed into a globally recognized venue for accessible performances of a wide range of musical theater genres.

The Volksoper is Vienna's leading house for operetta, the lighter, more accessible cousin of opera, often involving spoken dialogue alongside music. It serves as a complement to the more formal Wiener Staatsoper, offering performances that appeal to a broader audience, including children and families. The repertoire includes classics by composers such as Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár, and Emmerich Kálmán, alongside well-known operas and popular musicals.

The Volksoper also has a commitment to cultivating new talents and features performances by up-and-coming artists as well as established stars. With approximately 300 performances a year, it plays a pivotal role in Vienna's cultural scene, providing entertainment that is both high in quality and varied in style. This opera house is an integral part of Vienna's rich musical heritage, offering a more casual and inclusive approach to the performing arts.