Music Reviews

Aug 25, 2006 - Nevada Opera's “Cosi fan tutte" at Sand Harbor was a cold summer's night delight

By Jack Neal

A good sense of humor is a sign of intelligence and Wolgang Amadeus Mozart is someone who possessed both in abundance. Mozart's splendid talent never fails to amaze and amuse. A socially funloving man given to bawdy jokes and earthy conversation, the composer's music consistently comes off as elegant and sublime.

His fabulous opera buffa, “Cosi fan tutte," is a prime example of elegance in music and silliness in plot (with a favorable nod in the direction of librettist Lorenzo da Ponte) for which Mozart was such a genius.

This wonderfully silly opera about fidelity, or lack of it - women after all, as men claim, can't be trusted, men after all, as women claim, can't be trusted - was given a marvelous presentation by Nevada Opera in the open-air spaciousness of Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor Amphitheater Thursday (8/24/06) and Saturday (8/26/06).

The production was fast paced, almost without exception beautifully sung, lavishly costumed (lovely designs by Susan Memmott-Allred), and thoroughly entertaining. Another plus: it was in English with a cast that made a point of being understood.

William Shomos directed the piece in a traditional manner, but it was still fresh as new and loaded with fun. Nevada Opera's artistic director Michael Borowitz was responsblbe for the music and it could not have been more sublimely brought off. Done sans orchestra, Borowitz - dressed as and in the persona of Mozart - accompanied on what looked like an ornate High Renaissance harpsichord. In reality it was a synthesizer which allowed recitatives a la harpsichord and the remainder of the score a la piano. Borowitz's keyboard work pushed all the right buttons for a seamless evening of glorious music and ribald action.

The cast was uniformly exhuberant and excellent - both as singers and actors. Suzanne Woods was Fiordiligi, and delightfully reluctant for a second romance. Sarah Blaze was Dorabella, and just as delightfully less reluctant for a second romance. Suzette Thoeni was Despina, the chamber maid made in heaven for desperate mistresses. Ms. Thoeni could not have been better. Dennis Jesse was an intrigue-wise and stage-wise Don Alfonso. John Pickles, a comedic Ferrando, and Mark Walters, a posturing Guglielmo, came close to being as much fun as the Marx Brothers in the legendary “A Night at the Opera."

This sex crazed (or sex starved) operatic sextet may not have risen to the level (or lowered to the level) of Mae West in her movie “Sextet," but this Nevada Opera sextet was nontheless fun to watch and classy to hear bringing off their own well honed level of frothy sexual miscues and innuendos. Nevada Opera's outdoor “Cosi fan tutte" had style, elegance and wit that warmed a brisk summer night by The Lake. Who could ask for more?

“Cosi fan Tutte" was presented as part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival's Midsummer Nights “Celebrating Genius" week Thursday, August 24, and Saturday, August 26 (2006) at Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor just outside Incline Village, Nevada.

Nevada Opera's 2006-2007 season continues November 10 and 12 (2006) with Verdi's “La Traviata," February 9 and 11 (2007) with Rossini's “La Centerentola," and concludes April 27 and 29 (2007) with Offenbach's “Orpheus in the Underworld." For information about Nevada Opera presentations and other events call 775-786-4046. (Music Review - nevada-events - 8/25/06) Nevada Opera's “Cosi fan tutte" at Sand Harbor was a cold summer's night delight By Jack Neal A good sense of humor is a sign of intelligence and Wolgang Amadeus Mozart is someone who possessed both in abundance. Mozart's splendid talent never fails to amaze and amuse. A socially funloving man given to bawdy jokes and earthy conversation, the composer's music consistently comes off as elegant and sublime.

His fabulous opera buffa, “Cosi fan tutte," is a prime example of elegance in music and silliness in plot (with a favorable nod in the direction of librettist Lorenzo da Ponte) for which Mozart was such a genius.

This wonderfully silly opera about fidelity, or lack of it - women after all, as men claim, can't be trusted, men after all, as women claim, can't be trusted - was given a marvelous presentation by Nevada Opera in the open-air spaciousness of Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor Amphitheater Thursday (8/24/06) and Saturday (8/26/06).

The production was fast paced, almost without exception beautifully sung, lavishly costumed (lovely designs by Susan Memmott-Allred), and thoroughly entertaining. Another plus: it was in English with a cast that made a point of being understood.

William Shomos directed the piece in a traditional manner, but it was still fresh as new and loaded with fun. Nevada Opera's artistic director Michael Borowitz was responsblbe for the music and it could not have been more sublimely brought off. Done sans orchestra, Borowitz - dressed as and in the persona of Mozart - accompanied on what looked like an ornate High Renaissance harpsichord. In reality it was a synthesizer which allowed recitatives a la harpsichord and the remainder of the score a la piano. Borowitz's keyboard work pushed all the right buttons for a seamless evening of glorious music and ribald action.

The cast was uniformly exhuberant and excellent - both as singers and actors. Suzanne Woods was Fiordiligi, and delightfully reluctant for a second romance. Sarah Blaze was Dorabella, and just as delightfully less reluctant for a second romance. Suzette Thoeni was Despina, the chamber maid made in heaven for desperate mistresses. Ms. Thoeni could not have been better. Dennis Jesse was an intrigue-wise and stage-wise Don Alfonso. John Pickles, a comedic Ferrando, and Mark Walters, a posturing Guglielmo, came close to being as much fun as the Marx Brothers in the legendary “A Night at the Opera."

This sex crazed (or sex starved) operatic sextet may not have risen to the level (or lowered to the level) of Mae West in her movie “Sextet," but this Nevada Opera sextet was nontheless fun to watch and classy to hear bringing off their own well honed level of frothy sexual miscues and innuendos. Nevada Opera's outdoor “Cosi fan tutte" had style, elegance and wit that warmed a brisk summer night by The Lake. Who could ask for more?

“Cosi fan Tutte" was presented as part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival's Midsummer Nights “Celebrating Genius" week Thursday, August 24, and Saturday, August 26 (2006) at Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor just outside Incline Village, Nevada.

Nevada Opera's 2006-2007 season continues November 10 and 12 (2006) with Verdi's “La Traviata," February 9 and 11 (2007) with Rossini's “La Centerentola," and concludes April 27 and 29 (2007) with Offenbach's “Orpheus in the Underworld." For information about Nevada Opera presentations and other events call 775-786-4046.