Review: Welsh National Opera - Così fan Tutte at The Bristol Hippodrome

Janine from Visit Bristol reviews Welsh National Opera - Così fan Tutte.

This was my first ever Opera show – as a total opera noob I had no idea of what to expect: high notes, glasses shattering, people standing around in fancy dress. I really wasn’t sure!

Here’s a review from someone in their mid 20s whose experience with classical music had, until last night, been limited to accidentally switching radio stations onto Classical FM in the car.

The Welsh National Opera takes you back to school with a brand-new production of Mozart’s comic opera Così fan tutte aka The School for Lovers directed by Max Hoehn (The Consul). Set in the early 1970s, four sixth formers discover that falling in love can be incredible, awkward, and complicated in this coming-of-age tale.

In this opera, two sisters are wooed by what they think are a pair of strangers, while their fiancés have ‘gone off for war,' but this is just a test of their loyalty to their partners. Set up by their Philosophy teacher (I know, very weird - I'm not sure how he passed his teaching exams!), the strangers are in fact their partners in disguise.

The pair of guys - Guglielmo and Ferrando set out to seduce the other's partner in order to win the wager set before them by their teacher who claims that their lovers will prove unfaithful when put to the test. Over the course of the deception, the sisters are slowly tempted into dating each other’s lovers, going through a range of emotions and feelings in a space of 24 hours (hilarious)!

Just as the sisters are about to sign marriage contracts with these strangers, they hear the sound of soldiers returning. The sisters' panic turns to shock when they finally realise that the strangers were Guglielmo and Ferrando all along! The Philosophy teacher won his bet: così fan tutte – all women are the same.

The show is extremely silly, with fantastic phallic props, humorous moments, catchy Mozart tunes, great singing and brilliant comedic lines (which are fortunately not missed as there are English subtitles throughout!). Although this piece was written in 1790, many of the themes experienced by these couples are still relatable today, and the story is basically an old fashioned version of Love Island.

This was my first opera, but it certainly won't be my last!

Whether you're an experienced opera-goer, or a total newbie like me, opera is something everyone should try at least once in their life. 

Limited tickets are available for Friday's (26 April) show of Welsh National Opera – Così Fan Tutte. Book now.