Translated from the Italian, Cosi fan tutte means That's how all women act; the libretto, the last of three Lorenzo da Ponte wrote for Mozart, concerns the behavior of women, particularly the behavior of young women in the throes of romantic love. Are they fickle? Are their affections mutable? Their virtue flexible? In Cosi fan tutte, Mozartand Da Ponte answer with resounding affirmatives. In the nearly 200 years since it was first performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Cosi fan tutte has waxed and waned and waxed again in popularity. The music, with its richness of melody, harmony, and texture, and its perfection of form, has never been considered less than brilliant. The libretto, however, has not been as well received as evidenced by attempts in the 19th century to improve it, making it more possible to the overly decorous sensibilities of the Victorians. In examining the reaction of 19th-century opera goers, the noted British composer, conductor, and musicologist Spike Hughes laments, The opera must indeed have seemed to them sadly untypical of the Divine Mozart, who not only seemed to enjoy this trivialities, not to say indecencies, of an exquisitely constructed libretto, but even went so far as to squander an unending stream of lovely music on worthless characters and contemptible situations. The worthless characters are Ferrando and Guglielmo, two Italian army officers in love with two Neapolitan sisters, Fiodiligi and Dorabella. The contemptible situation is a wager and the comedy of deception that ensues: bragging of their ladies' fidelity, the two officers are challenged by a sage but cynical Don Alfonso who declares, The faithfulness of woman is like the phoenix: everybody has heard about it, but nobody has ever actually seen it. In the 20th century Cosi fan tutte has once again secured its rightful and prestigious place among the world's great operas. This volume, containing the full score with Italian and German text, is reproduced from one of the most complete, accurate, and scholarly editions available. It also contains a new translation of the German editors' frontmatter and critical commentary, which includes a review of dubious passages and text problems. Beautifully and clearly engraved, this modestly priced edition of Cosi fan tutte will be welcomed by musicians, students, and all opera lovers.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Dover Publications Inc.
ISBN-13
9780486245287
eBay Product ID (ePID)
95774527
Product Key Features
Book Title
w.A. Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte
Author
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Format
Paperback
Language
English
Topic
Music
Publication Year
1983
Number of Pages
448 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height
318mm
Item Width
241mm
Item Weight
1270g
Additional Product Features
Title_Author
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Country/Region of Manufacture
United States
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