THE MET: LIVE IN HD SEASON 8 – WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART’S “COSÌ FAN TUTTE”

PRESENTED BY:

The Cultural Center of the Philippines

with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc. and Ayala Malls Cinemas

DATE/ TIME/ VENUE:

December 5, 2023 | 5:30 PM

CCP @ Ayala Malls Cinemas

Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1, Makati City

DESCRIPTION:

In this new production of Mozart’s effervescent comedy of young love and infidelity, director Phelim McDermott and his team of designers have updated the opera’s setting to a boardwalk amusement park inspired by Coney Island in the 1950s. The result is a twisted playground in which the two pairs of lovers at the heart of the tale find themselves on one emotional, and sometimes literal, thrill ride after another. Performed as part of the Met’s Live in HD series of cinema transmissions, the production features a cast of breakout young artists—soprano Amanda Majeski, mezzo-soprano Serena Malfi, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Baritone Christopher Maltman, as the scheming Don Alfonso, and Tony Award–winning actress Kelli O’Hara, who triumphed in her 2014 Met debut in Lehár’s The Merry Widow, join the quartet of rising stars. David Robertson conducts Mozart’s colorful and heartfelt score.

The Met: Live in HD Season 8 is a series of screenings of the latest performances by the Metropolitan Opera of New York, delivered in high-definition video and Dolby Surround Sound.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Ticket Price:

Php 450 – Regular Price

Php 100 – Students and Young Professionals

Visit the ticket booth or book your tickets at www.sureseats.com.

 

PRE-SHOW PROGRAM:

As a prelude to the opera screening, the audience will be treated to a special live performance. Guest sopranos Isabela Samson Madero and Sherine Ann Koa from the British School Manila will grace the stage with a captivating duet and aria from Cosi fan tutte.

Program:

1. Ah Guarda Sorella (Ah look sister): A duet between Fiordiligi and Dorabella, praising their men. This scene follows the acceptance of the wager, where the two officers feign being called off to war and will later return in disguise to seduce each other’s lover.
2. Come Scoglio: A pivotal moment in Act 1, scene 2 of Cosi Fan Tutte. Ferrando and Guglielmo disguise themselves as Albanians for a wager, entering the home of their fiancés, Dorabella and Fiordiligi, who are taken aback by the presence of these strangers. Fiordiligi, incensed, sings an aria expressing her anger and the depth of their love.

 Guest Artists:

Isabela Samson Madero, soprano

Isabela is a versatile and accomplished artist excelling in art direction, product design, and classical music. She’s an Associate of the Royal Schools of Music in London, underscoring her musical prowess. Guided by Maestra Perpy Lopez Heath for eight years, she’s shown unwavering dedication to mastering her craft. Isabela’s journey gains depth through collaborations, including a masterclass with Lisette Oropesa, exemplifying her commitment to continuous learning.

 

Her dedication to music shines on the international stage, winning First Place for Voice and the esteemed Judge’s Best Performance Award at the Vienna Virtuoso Festival. She also secured the Gold Medal Professional Category at the North American Virtuoso International Music Competition and earned the Grand Prix Gold award and the title of Vocalist of the Year at the European Classical Music Competition.

 

Isabela’s artistry extends beyond competitions, gracing venues like Paco Park, Yuchengco Museum, British School Manila, Liberty Hall, and Steinway Boutique Manila, where she consistently captivates diverse audiences.

Sherine Ann Koa, soprano

Sherine, an accomplished soprano and Associate of the Royal Schools of Music, boasts a distinguished track record, including winning gold for opera and silver for Broadway at the 2013 World Championships of Performing Arts and receiving the Loyola Schools Awards for the Arts in Music in 2012. Her musical excellence extends to accolades like The Most Outstanding Senior Classical Voice Performer at the 2021 VAYA International Music Festival, as well as success in competitions such as the London Classical Music Competition, Vienna Virtuoso Festival, and Odin International Music Online Competition. She’s also made a mark in the theater world with performances at Tanghalang Pilipino, the Lyric Opera of the Philippines, and Ateneo Blue Repertory. Additionally, Sherine is a Chinoy TV talent who actively participates in Filipino-Chinese social events and weddings while continuing to hone her skills under the guidance of Ms. Perpy Heath at the British School Manila.

 

SYNOPSIS:

“Così fan tutte” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Estimated Running Time: 3 hrs 15 min

 

ACT I

The United States, during the 1950s. Two officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, are taking a vacation with their fiancées, sisters Dorabella and Fiordiligi, at the Skyline Motel near the Pleasure Garden. At a nightclub, the boys’ new friend, the cynical Don Alfonso, tells them of his doubts in the fidelity of women. He offers them a wager: He will prove that their lovers will be unfaithful, like all other women. The boys defend their fiancées and accept the challenge.

 

The next morning, Fiordiligi and Dorabella daydream about their lovers while strolling along the boardwalk. Alfonso arrives and explains that the boys have been called away to war. After saying goodbye to their lovers, the girls are inconsolable.

 

Despina, a maid at the motel, complains about how much work she has to do. When the sisters return heartbroken, she encourages the girls to enjoy their freedom and find new lovers, but Fiordiligi and Dorabella cannot fathom such a betrayal.

 

Don Alfonso bribes Despina to help him introduce the sisters to two “infatuated young friends” of his, who are in fact Guglielmo and Ferrando in disguise. When the new suitors make advances toward the sisters, the girls are outraged and refuse to listen to any declarations of love. The men are confident of winning the bet.

 

Alfonso has another plan: The young men pretend to take poison in order to gain the sisters’ sympathy. Despina and Alfonso go off to fetch help, leaving the two girls to care for the strangers. Despina reappears disguised as “Doctor Magnetico” and pretends to heal the boys with her famous vibration machine. When Ferrando and Guglielmo request kisses in order to fully recover, the sisters again reject them, but it is clear that they’re beginning to show interest in the strangers.

 

ACT II

Despina chastises Fiordiligi and Dorabella for not knowing how to deal with men. The sisters decide that perhaps Despina is right—there can be no harm in amusing themselves with the handsome strangers. They choose which man they’d like, each picking the other’s fiancée. Don Alfonso brings the girls into the Pleasure Garden to meet the boys again.

 

In the fairground, Dorabella responds quickly to the disguised Guglielmo’s advances. She accepts a gift and relinquishes her locket with Ferrando’s portrait.

 

Fiordiligi, however, refuses to yield to Ferrando, although she admits to herself that her heart has been won.

 

Ferrando is certain that they have won the wager. Guglielmo is happy to hear that Fiordiligi has been faithful to him, but when he shows his friend the portrait he took from Dorabella, Ferrando is furious. Gugliemo asks Alfonso to pay him his half of the winnings, but Alfonso reminds him that the day is not yet over.

 

Fiordiligi condemns Dorabella for her betrayal and resolves to leave the Pleasure Garden and join her beloved at the front.

 

Ferrando suddenly appears and declares his love for Fiordiligi with renewed passion. While Guglielmo watches helplessly, she finally accepts. Guglielmo and Ferrando are distraught at their fiancées’ infidelity. Don Alfonso encourages the boys to forgive the women and marry them. After all, their behavior is only human nature.

 

The sisters have agreed to marry the young strangers, and Despina, impersonating a lawyer, does the honors. Alfonso suddenly announces that Guglielmo and Ferrando have returned from battle. In panic, the sisters hide their intended husbands, who return as their real selves and are horrified to discover the marriage contracts. Finally, the boys reveal the entire charade, and Fiordiligi and Dorabella ask forgiveness. Alfonso bids the lovers learn their lesson.