All Women Are Like What? | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

All Women Are Like What?

I am in no way an opera aficionado, but one of the more popular shows in the canon is Mozart's "Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti." First performed in Vienna in 1790, it wasn't considered risqué upon initial release, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries it was downright scandalous.

Ferrando and Guglielmo are two officers who believe their respective fiancees will be faithful. The character Don Alfonso, meanwhile, thinks a faithful woman is a myth, wagering he can prove in one day that both women would be unfaithful.

A story like this wouldn't play well if written in 2016, but 200+ years ago gender studies were a bit different. Even the title, "Così fan tutte," means "All women are like that." This version is staged in a theater, so the shenanigans take place onstage, backstage and around the opera house. Even if the storyline is offensive to you, seeing and hearing a piece of art from that time gives a good sense of how far we've come.

"Così Fan Tutte"

Thursday, Dec. 1, 6:30pm

Sisters Movie House, 720 Desperado Ct., Sisters

$12.50

Jared Rasic

Film critic and author of food, arts and culture stories for the Source Weekly since 2010.
Comments (0)
Add a Comment
For info on print and digital advertising, >> Click Here