Summer Classics Opera: Così fan tutte

Mozart’s Così fan tutte is one of the most dramatic soap operas written in the 1700s. Translated as “Women are like that,” even the title hints at the capricious, tongue-and-cheek plot of this classic. Two young soldiers put the loyalty of their girlfriends to the test with an elaborate scheme involving false military deployments, Turkish costumes, and an old philosopher. Meanwhile, the women concoct their own scheme to get back at their boyfriends, involving false marriages, partner swapping, and a maid disguised as a doctor. The ruses become wilder and more implausible as the couples engage in a classic game of relationship chicken until the machinations on both sides are revealed, prompting a round of hearty apologies on all sides. Sung in Italian, with English narration and supertitles.