Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutti - Salzburg Festival (1983) [Blu-ray]

ARTHAUS presents "Legendary Performances" series

Così fan tutte , the one-time wallflower of the trio of operas produced by composer Mozart and librettist Da Ponte, has these days found widespread popularity, both on stage and on recordings, if not yet quite a match for its highly regarded partners, Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro. This 1983 production from the Salzburg Festival one of the earlier and better of 20+ versions. The story of two young sisters of Naples whose constancy is tested by their soldier lovers at the instigation of the cynical older friend Don Alfonzo with the aid of the scheming maid Despina is either a rather light, charming period farce or an engaging psychological drama of amorous relationships, depending on what you read. I, for one, lean more to the charming farce school, but whatever the merits of the libretto there is no doubt that this is the young genius Mozart bringing his A game, a score filled with inspired arias as well as many beautiful lyrical ensembles; the music is consistently sublime, and perhaps one of the greatest opera scores ever written.

You can easily just sit back and bask in the wonderful musical sounds made by the Vienna Philharmonic under the leadership of the young Riccardo Muti. The maestro keeps tempos brisk, perhaps a bit too brisk at times, not fully allowing the singers to expand into the music, but by and large he moves the action along crisply, to the benefit of the work. The singers themselves are all strong.