Così fan tutte, 2015
Cast
Fiordiligi Andreea Soare
Dorabella Kathryn Rudge
Guglielmo Ashley Riches
Ferrando Robin Tritschler
Despina Lesley Garrett
Don Alfonso Neal Davies
Conductor Douglas Boyd
Director John Fulljames
Designer Dick Bird
Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Synopsis
Act One
Two soldiers, Guglielmo and Ferrando, defend the constancy of the two sisters they plan to marry. Their mutual friend, Don Alfonso, challenges them, saying that a faithful woman is a figment of the imagination - and bets that he can prove his theory.
The women, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are told that Guglielmo and Ferrando have been called up to fight. In their absence, Don Alfonso enlists Despina to help him in introducing the sisters to a couple of his friends. Believing that the sisters should be free to pursue love wherever they find it, she agrees to try and persuade the girls to have some fun.
Don Alfonso's friends are none other than Guglielmo and Ferrando in disguise. Fiordiligi and Dorabella seek to prove their constancy by vehemently rejecting the men's advances.
Despina takes control of events and orders the men to pretend to attempt suicide in despair at having been rejected. She, in the guise of a doctor, enlists the girls' assistance in keeping them alive.
Interval
Act Two
As Despina tries to coach the sisters in how to deal with men, Dorabella asks whether there would really be anything wrong in having a bit of fun with the two strangers.
Ferrando and Guglielmo renew their attempts to seduce the sisters. Dorabella and Guglielmo soon make a match but Fiordiligi holds out against Ferrando, while admitting that she has fallen in love with him. She decides to run away to join Guglielmo on the battlefield. When Ferrando learns that his fiancée, Dorabella, has been seduced by Guglielmo, he becomes more determined to win the heart of Guglielmo's fiancée, Fiordiligi. She finally capitulates, as Guglielmo watches helplessly.
Despina makes arrangements for a double wedding. She has just officiated at the signing of wedding contracts when Don Alfonso stages the return of the soldiers from their battle. The four lovers are all dismayed by what has happened and by the extent to which they have been deceived by each other.