Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie Review

Mozart gets a makeover.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 6, 2010

Claus Guth is one of several operatic director enfants terribles or wünderkinder who, depending on your point of view, is either ingeniously innovative or completely, irredeemably delusional. Guth often doesn’t just reinterpret a classic opera, he completely reinvents it. Guth is a visionary to be reckoned with, that can’t be argued. Whether he is depicting Die Walküre as Wotan’s private marionette factory or placing Don Giovanni in a rotating haunted wooded setting, Guth brings considerable visual flair and an often analytical bent to each libretto he tackles. His results have made him the pariah of some, the idol of others. I tend to fall somewhere in between. I found his Ariadne auf Naxos rather interesting with a lot to recommend it. I’m somewhat less swayed by this new Blu-ray of Così fan tutte, always one of the more problematic Mozart operas, one which even without the “tarting up” Guth employs in this production tends to split and often offend modern day audiences. Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte were probably nowhere more cynical and jaded than they were in Così fan tutte, an opera which, on its face at least, disparages the fidelity of women while also mocking both the over-trusting ways, as well as the deceptive intent, of their male mates. But as is almost always the case with Mozart, there’s such an ebullient joy to the music that the cynicism is often cloaked in candy sweet melody, making many think they’re watching, and listening to, the operatic equivalent of a sitcom. Guth seems to slightly alter that perception by casting this Così in modern dress, but with a kind of early Fox Network 90210 ethos that is at once startling but also at considerable odds with the text, both intrinsically and also within the intentionally ironic confines of Guth’s conception.

Così fan tutte is in some ways strangely both one of the more modern as well as one of the more politically incorrect and archaic operas that has nestled its way into the standard repertory. When Don Alfonso (Bo Skovhus) challenges Ferrando (Topi Lehtipuu) and Guglielmo (Florian Boesch) about how easily he can coax their loves Fiordiligi (Miah Persson) and Dorabella (Isabel Leonard) to stray, he makes it clear that he does so because in his “elder statesman” wisdom he has come to realize that all women lack the fidelity gene. When the two men then deceive their loves, telling them they’re off to war, and then quickly returning in disguise to see if the ladies will stray, Così takes several buffa tropes and just lightly sets them askew. Except in Guth’s production, we’re so far removed from traditional buffa territory that there’s no context, so much so that the men don’t even bother to disguise themselves when they return. It wasn’t until I started doing some background research about this production that I realized Alfonso is evidently supposed to be some kind of spirit in Guth’s conception, one who magically weaves his spell over the women so that no disguise is necessary. It would have been nice had that been clearly communicated to the audience.

Guth has an incredibly able cast here, including several superstars and a couple who are on the cusp of superstardom. In fact the cast is so capable and, frankly, charismatic, that that alone may be enough to recommend this version even to stalwart traditionalists. For when you have music of this caliber being sung so elegantly, a lot of the trappings can be ignored, no matter how ill conceived they might be. Dorabella is often the “dumb blonde” of the piece, and Isabel Leonard is never able to fully escape that formulation, despite a silvery tone, especially in her upper register. Persson’s Fiordiligi is unquestionably the stronger characterization, due both to da Ponte’s libretto and the innate capabilities of the singer. Both men do very well, and Skovhus makes an appealingly semi-sinister Alfonso. The only real misfire is Patricia Petitbon’s Despina, which in Guth’s formulation is something closer to a Dell’Arte clown, replete with use of helium to make her voice skip up an octave. It’s simultaneously silly and senseless.

The spare, modern mid-century chic set works fairly well throughout the production, though the odd decision to close Act I in near darkness means most of the singers are nearly invisible. Guth no doubt is drawing an objective parallel to the growing gloom of the relationships, but it tends to get in the way of the music, never a good thing. There’s considerably more flair, albeit rather subtle (especially in the relatively over the top world of Guth) in the choral finale, which is staged as a slow dance and works very well on the multiple levels of the set.

This Salzburg Festival production may have caught its audience just slightly by surprise. After all, Salzburg was home to Mozart for many years. (Anyone who has been to the composer’s absolutely miniscule apartment in the city—now a museum—will never forget it). This might have been expected to be the refuge of a traditionalist production which gladly presented everything in late 18th century regalia. Guth certainly doesn’t take that tack, and the results are at best middling, at least from a conceptual standpoint. What saves this production is the fine singing. If you can’t stand the physical conceit here, just turn off your television and listen to this Blu-ray.

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

EuroArts and Unitel Classica present Così fan tutte on Blu-ray with an MPEG-2 codec in 1080i and 1.78:1. The best thing about this presentation from a visual standpoint is the beautifully robust color of the women's dresses. The reds and purplish-pinks blossom beautifully, just perhaps glancing the edge of blooming territory without ever bleeding over into it. Detail overall is a tad on the soft side, not helped by Guth's decision to cast large swaths of the stage in shadow. Contrast is acceptable, if never really brilliantly gradated, and there is some good to excellent detail on close-ups especially. Despina's bright red hair is another standout (literally).

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio on this Blu-ray is considerably better, with both a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and an LPCM 2.0 track offered. The DTS track has excellent separation, especially wonderful at being able to hear the quintets, some of Mozart's most artful choral writing. There isn't a superabundance of hall ambience here, but there is certainly a decent spaciousness that allows the music to waft nicely with just the hint of reverb. Voices are reproduced beautifully, with exceptional fidelity throughout all ranges. Dynamic range is also excellent here, and balance between the singers and the Vienna Philharmonic is for the most part exceptional. There are one or two times when a stray syllable or two gets lost beneath the orchestra, but it's a rare phenomenon. Overall, this is a sterling performance and a really fine recording.

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplements other than trailers and the insert booklet essay are offered.

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Guth's concept here is muddled, but even that can't keep the native ebullience of Mozart from reaching its intended target. Put aside lingering qualms about political incorrectness, and even the conceptual weirdness of this particular production, and just listen to the glorious music. Recommended.