Come fall in love with Mozart’s ‘Così fan Tutte’

Nelson Mandela University’s department of music is presenting Opera Kaleidoscope on Tuesday at the South Campus auditorium.

The university’s vocal ensemble and the Umthombo Arts Development will perform extracts from Mozart’s opera Così fan Tutte.

The opera’s full title is Così fan Tutte, Ossia la Scuola Degli Amanti which translates from the Italian as “Thus Do They All [That is, Women], or The School for Lovers” but the shortened form is usually “They’re All Like That” or “All Women Behave the Same”.

It is a work known for being cynical about love, but it contains some of Mozart’s most beautiful romantic music. The text satirises women who are unfaithful but at the same time highlights that the men in their lives are not without fault either.

The Così fan Tutte cast consists of: Fiordiligi – Lindokuhle Gushu; Dorabella – Nosiviwe Mqwebedu; Ferrando – Lunga Lutywantsi, Ntsikekhaya Mtwa, Simthembile Landule; Gugliemo – Khaya Hadi; Don Alfonso – Unathi Lubambo and Despina – Weziwe Moya.

Umthombo Arts Development is an organisation NMU voice lecturer Njabulo Mthimkulu started with some of his music friends. Mthimkulu came up with the idea to have an arts organisation in the Eastern Cape that will operate and teach music to the disadvantaged schools in townships.

Opera Kaleidoscope aims to give an opportunity to opera singers around Port Elizabeth to perform in front of an audience and at the same time equip them with necessary skills and vocal coaching through hours of teaching and learning.

Opera Kaleidoscope starts at 7pm and tickets will be on sale at the door for R100 (R60 for pensioners or R30 for students and pupils).

Further information from Nicky Bosman, 041-504-4235.