Who Composed the Music to the Opera Cosi Fan Tutti?
Contents
Learn about the history of the opera Cosi Fan Tutti and the composer who created its beautiful music.
The Opera
The Italian opera, Cosi fan tutti, was composed in 1790 by Mozart. The libretto, or text, was written by Lorenzo da Ponte. Mozart and da Ponte also collaborated on two other operas, Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro. Cosi fan tutti is a comedy about love and faithfulness, or lack thereof.
What is Cosi Fan Tutti?
Cosi fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti (“Women are like that” or “The School for Lovers”), K. 588, is an Italian-language opera buffa composed in 1790 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte, who also wrote Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni.
The work is ostensibly set in Naples at the time of the Bourbon rule, but it is generally accepted to be a satire of life in Vienna during that period. Cosi fan tutte was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna; it was one of three subscription concerts given that winter and was repeated twice more during Mozart’s lifetime.
It was not until the mid-20th century that opinion began to change and the work to be more highly regarded. Today it is considered one of Mozart’s greatest operas.
When was it composed?
The opera was composed in 1790 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian-language libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was commissioned by the Habsburgarchbishop of Salzburg, Count Hieronymus Colloredo.
The première took place on 26 December 1790 at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, performed by Mozart’s nostrils. It was Da Ponte’s first libretto for Mozart and overall the third of their six collaborations.
The plot of Così fan tutte revolves around two young men, Ferrando and Guglielmo, who are in love with two young women, Fiordiligi and Dorabella. The men are summoned away for military duty but before they leave, Ferrando and Guglielmo make a bet on whether their fiancées will remain faithful to them during their absence. They agree to disguise themselves as Albanians (an ethnic group known for being untrustworthy), seduce each other’s fiancée, and then compare notes afterwards.
Così fan tutte is one of the few operas that uses ensembles as effectively as it does solo scenes. In particular, the opera’s finale was praised by Mozart scholar DanielHeartzfor its “magnificent ensembles”.
The Composer
There are few operas more famous than Mozart’s Cosi fan tutti. The music is beautiful, the story is classic, and the opera has been performed countless times since its debut. But who composed the music to this eternal opera?
Who was the composer?
The composer of the opera Cosi fan tutti was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The opera was first performed in Vienna in 1790.
What else did he compose?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time. He composed over 600 works, which includes symphonies, concertos, operas, and chamber music. Among his most famous works are The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutte.
The Music
Opera is a musical art form with its own distinct style of composition. In Italy, opera was born in the early 1600s and reached its full maturity by the late 1700s. One of the most famous opera composers is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He composed the music to the opera “Cosi fan tutte” which is about two young men who are trying to win the affections of two women.
What is the music like?
The music of Cosi fan tutte is characterized by its use of comic opera elements, including witty writing and humor. The opera also makes use of da Ponte’s skill in vocal writing, as the opera is full of beautiful arias and ensembles. The work is also notable for its use of ensembles, which bring the characters together in ways that create tension and drama.
What instruments are used?
The opera is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings.
