Cos fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti (Italian: [kozi ffan tutte ossia la

skwla de amanti]; Thus Do They All, or The School for Lovers), K. 588, is an
Italian-language opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first
performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto
was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte who also wrote Le nozze di Figaro and Don
Giovanni.

Although it is commonly held that Cos fan tutte was written and composed at the
suggestion of the Emperor Joseph II, recent research does not support this idea.[1]
There is evidence that Mozart's contemporary Antonio Salieri tried to set the libretto
but left it unfinished. In 1994, John Rice uncovered two terzetti by Salieri in the
Austrian National Library.[2]

The title, Cos fan tutte, literally means "Thus do all [women]" but is usually
translated into English as "Women are like that". The words are sung by the three
men in act 2, scene 13, just before the finale; this melodic phrase is also quoted in
the overture to the opera. Da Ponte had used the line "Cos fan tutte le belle" earlier
in Le nozze di Figaro (in act 1, scene 7).

Mozart and Da Ponte use the theme of "fiance swapping", which dates back to the
13th century; notable earlier versions are found in Boccaccio's Decameron and
Shakespeare's play Cymbeline. Elements from Shakespeare's The Taming of the
Shrew are also present. Furthermore, it incorporates elements of the myth of Procris
as found in Ovid's Metamorphoses, vii.[10]

Place: Naples

Time: the 18th century

Act 1[edit]

Costume design by Eugne Berman

Scene 1: A coffeehouse
In a cafe, Ferrando and Guglielmo (two officers) express certainty that their fiances
(Dorabella and Fiordiligi, respectively) will be eternally faithful. Don Alfonso
expresses skepticism and claims that there is no such thing as a faithful woman. He
lays a wager with the two officers, claiming he can prove in a day's time that those
two, like all women, are fickle. The wager is accepted: the two officers will pretend
to have been called off to war; soon thereafter they will return in disguise and each
attempt to seduce the other's lover. The scene shifts to the two women, who are
praising their men (duet: Ah guarda sorella"Ah look sister"). Alfonso arrives to
announce the bad news: the officers have been called off to war. Ferrando and
Guglielmo arrive, brokenhearted, and bid farewell (quintet: Sento, o Dio, che questo
piede restio"I feel, oh God, that my foot is reluctant"). As the boat with the men
sails off to sea, Alfonso and the sisters wish them safe travel (trio: Soave sia il vento
"May the wind be gentle"). Alfonso, left alone, gloatingly predicts that the women
(like all women) will prove unfaithful (arioso: Oh, poverini, per femmina giocare
cento zecchini?"Oh, poor little ones, to wager 100 sequins on a woman").

Scene 2: A room in the sisters' home

Despina, the maid, arrives and asks what is wrong. Dorabella bemoans the torment
of having been left alone (aria: Smanie implacabili"Torments implacable").
Despina mocks the sisters, advising them to take new lovers while their betrotheds
are away (aria: In uomini, in soldati, sperare fedelt?"In men, in soldiers, you hope
for faithfulness?"). After they leave, Alfonso arrives. He fears Despina will recognize
the men through their disguises, so he bribes her into helping him to win the bet.
The two men then arrive, dressed as mustachioed Albanians (sextet: Alla bella
Despinetta"Meet the pretty Despinetta"). The sisters enter and are alarmed by the
presence of strange men in their home. The "Albanians" tell the sisters that they
were led by love to them (the sisters). However, the sisters refuse to give in.
Fiordiligi asks the "Albanians" to leave and pledges to remain faithful (aria: Come
scoglio"Like a rock"). The "Albanians" continue the attempt to win over the sisters'
hearts, Guglielmo going so far as to point out all of his manly attributes (aria: Non
siate ritrosi"Don't be shy"), but to no avail. Ferrando, left alone and sensing
victory, praises his love (aria: Un'aura amorosa"A loving breath").

Scene 3: A garden
Opera in the Heights ensemble, 2011

The sisters are still pining. Despina has asked Don Alfonso to let her take over the
seduction plan. Suddenly, the "Albanians" burst in the scene and threaten to poison
themselves if they are not allowed the chance to woo the sisters. As Alfonso tries to
calm them, they drink the "poison" and pretend to pass out. Soon thereafter, a
doctor (Despina in disguise) arrives on the scene and, using magnet therapy, is able
to revive the "Albanians". The men, pretending to hallucinate, demand a kiss from
Dorabella and Fiordiligi (whom the "Albanians" call goddesses) who stand before
them. The sisters refuse, even as Alfonso and the doctor (Despina) urge them to
acquiesce.

Act 2[edit]

Scene 1: The sisters' bedroom

"Una donna a quindici anni" (3:26)

MENU0:45

From act 2

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Despina urges them to succumb to the "Albanians"' overtures (aria: Una donna a
quindici anni"A fifteen year old woman"). After she leaves, Dorabella confesses to
Fiordiligi that she is tempted, and the two agree that a mere flirtation will do no
harm and will help them pass the time while they wait for their lovers to return
(duet: Prender quel brunettino""I will take the dark one").

Scene 2: The garden

Dorabella and the disguised Guglielmo pair off, as do the other two. The
conversation is haltingly uncomfortable, and Ferrando departs with Fiordiligi. Now
alone, Guglielmo attempts to woo Dorabella. She does not resist strongly, and soon
she has given him a medallion (with Ferrando's portrait inside) in exchange for a
heart-shaped locket (duet: Il core vi dono"I give you my heart"). Ferrando is less
successful with Fiordiligi (Ferrando's aria: Ah, lo veggio"Ah, I see it" and Fiordiligi's
aria: Per piet, ben mio, perdona"Please, my beloved, forgive"), so he is enraged
when he later finds out from Guglielmo that the medallion with his portrait has been
so quickly given away to a new lover. Guglielmo at first sympathises with Ferrando
(aria: Donne mie, la fate a tanti"My ladies, you do it to so many"), but then gloats,
because his betrothed is faithful.

Scene 3: The sisters' room

Dorabella admits her indiscretion to Fiordiligi ( amore un ladroncello"Love is a

little thief"). Fiordiligi, upset by this development, decides to go to the army and find
her betrothed. Before she can leave, though, Ferrando arrives and continues his
attempted seduction. Fiordiligi finally succumbs and falls into his arms (duet: Fra gli
amplessi"In the embraces"). Guglielmo is distraught while Ferrando turns
Guglielmo's earlier gloating back on him. Alfonso, winner of the wager, tells the men
to forgive their fiances. After all: Cos fan tutte"All women are like that."

Scene 4:

The scene begins as a double wedding for the sisters and their "Albanian" grooms.
Despina, in disguise as a notary, presents the marriage contract, which all sign.
Directly thereafter, military music is heard in the distance, indicating the return of
the officers. Alfonso confirms the sisters' fears: Ferrando and Guglielmo are on their
way to the house. The "Albanians" hurry off to hide (actually, to change out of their
disguises). They return as the officers, professing their love. Alfonso drops the
marriage contract in front of the officers, and, when they read it, they become
enraged. They then depart and return moments later, half in Albanian disguise, half
as officers. Despina has been revealed to be the notary, and the sisters realize they
have been duped. All is ultimately forgiven, as the entire group praises the ability to
accept life's unavoidable good times and bad times.

Recordings[edit]