La scuola degli amanti
July 10, 2005
The last opera of the season was Così fan tutte, which also had opened it last Fall. The co-production, owned by Opera Monte Carlo and San Francisco Opera, was produced by John Cox and directed by Jose Maria Condemi. Robert Perdziola's charming set was updated to a WWI era resort, which worked splendidly. Fiordiligi does have one ugly costume of fushsia and aqua in Act II, but this is a minor quibble.
The cast was fairly strong. Soprano Alexandra Deshorties was a fine Fiordiligi, her voice is pretty and controlled. Frederica von Stade acted well as Despina, but her voice was breathy and slightly dull. Flicka is, of course, renowned and a favorite at San Francisco, but past her prime. The audience cheered her ecstatically anyway.