Cosi Deck Flashcards

Question

No.20 prendero quell brunettino

Answer 1

Fiodiligi and Dorabella The sisters after Despina has left comment initially on Despina’s cynicism, but then decide that it would not hurt to do a bit of flirting with the Albanian men. They echo each other’s melodies and then choose each other’s fiancés. Showing Despina succeeding. Mozart repeats the text twice through, the second time with much ornamentation and embellishment

Answer 2

If you didn’t know the whole situation this would just sound like a genuine love duet. Dorabella echoes Guglielmo’s music, repeating his melodies. Very genuine music could make the audience believe that this new found love is genuine both ways. They exchange lockets and Guglielmo grieves for Ferrando aside. typical love duet of seria - echoing each other's music

Answer 3

At first in recit and then in an aria she tells us of falling in love against her will, and feelings of guilt for Guglilmo’s affection. Perhaps the emotional centre of the opera, compared to her earlier aria which is maybe a parody this here is sincere. Rondo aria - thematic return and high emotional intensity sincere and not parody Change of tempo to allegro for a livelier section with the final stanza

Answer 4

Ferrando’s still finding seducing Fiordiligi difficult, a contrast to Guglielmo and Dorabella. At first not obvious that this is another seduction duet. Five-tempi duet. Starts as if an aria – takes the audience by surprise that this is a seduction duet. Different musical sections do not always adhere to changes of stanza in libretto. Unusual structure to duet. Mozart repeats ‘ah che omai la mia/sua costanza’: the first time, they sing the line separately but then sing it in thirds as the seduction begins to take effect. Mozart changes the accompaniment figuration and key at ‘sorgi, sorgi’ and once again, as in the libretto, the lovers share a phrase of ottonari. The music moves to the tonic minor as Fiordiligi begins to weaken and Ferrando threatens his own death if she refuses him.

Answer 5

Don Alfonso tells his friends not to blame women for being so fickle and reiterates a phrase heard in the overture ‘cosi fan tutte’ ‘they all do it’ and makes them repeat it with him. Alfonso sings the motto ‘cosi fan tutte’ to his friends who repeat it back to him. Mozart uses this music near the beginning of the overture, expecting that listeners would recognise its significance in the opera. (Bruce Alan Brown 1995)

Answer 6

Da Ponte doesn’t’ make it clear whether the couples go back to their old partners or stay with the new ones. This can be left up to the directors today, although at the time it was probably assumed they would go back to their old partners. Continuous music without recit.

Answer 7

Begins with traditional exposition of the wager theme – male lovers proclaim the steadfastness of their ladies while saying women are fickle in general. Temptation and seduction of lovers as common theme. Work followed ‘Scuola’ pieces given in Vienna during the decade in each of which the characters are given a sentimental education. ambivalence of real and stimulated passion

Answer 8

End of Josephinism and widespread social and political unrest science of morality 18th century optimism in teaching morality Fiordiligi experiences hihilism in the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless. human frailty and acceptance that neither men or women can behave in a way other than how they are programmed to

Answer 9

Origins in Metastasio’s Demetrio. Buffa device of disguise used by Da Ponte to propel the plot. ‘The notion that the music of an opera was in some sense better than the text I relatively commonplace in commentaries on opera buffa as a genre.’ Draws attention to the dramatic potential of the manipulation of convention in Così – typical of buffa. Don Alfonso doesn’t live with them (likely not definite) and although plays fatherly role in joining lovers’ hands at the end he hasn’t played the patriarchal tole of objection to marriage plans but does attempt to obstruct this somewhat. Simulation of the household structure common to many opera buffa. Female rage typically diffused in opera buffa. Conventions throughout including embodying the convention of Così. household setting

Answer 10

seduction at heart of opera music as tool for inner state Established during sister’s duet No.20 that Fiordiligi ready to flirt. Diminished 7th string chords opening scene vi of Act II show her relationship with Ferrando is very different from her sister’s flirtation. As Fiordiligi decides she and her sister will dress in soldiers uniforms and find their husbands, her melodic directedness gives reassertion of her conviction but this is unconvincing in relation to her previous interaction with Ferrando? ‘Love motif’ Recurrent melodic, rhythmic and harmonic motives. Love and music are nonconceptual hence ‘’. Viennese Enlightenment and the close relationship of love and music. Eternal and transcendent, beyond words and capable of being sounded by ideal understanding of music. Motivic references across musical time bear weight to a particular musical event. Use of the ‘love motif’ in Così as ironic and transcending the local meanings of its setting.

Answer 11

They are taught only one thing – to conform to the motto of the title that ‘all women are the same’ so the Ferrando and Guglielmo see it to be the truth. Generic sameness of the sisters. Musical and vocal differences between them. Relies on putting questionable ideas in their heads. Dorabella’s quick transformation – malleable. Overwhelmed woman by the end – at the submission of Ferrando.

Answer 12

No.29 - Fiordiligi sexualised and shown as secondary to Ferrando - When Ferrando enters threatening to kill himself at her loss she wants him to leave. He has large sword - The presence of the huge sword and his convincing words of death may help convince her to his love? - he takes off her clothes - This peaks at the end of the penultimate section, before they start singing in thirds. From this point onwards they barely leave each other alone – always in contact. - This is perhaps helped by the overall view of this staging as a period work – the clothes are more typical of the period and it doesn’t present as a particularly ‘modern’ performance. End: - busy chorus - Lots of eye contact – couples singing to each other and also interaction between the sisters about their joy. - Couples go back to other but Fiordiligi and Guglielmo later to embrace. Ends with sister pairing and men paried together. All still seem rather angry. - Confusion at the end when men stand behind the women and put their arms on shoulder of wife bu t then all look at each other as if confused.

Answer 13

No 29 - other characters onstage, watched - mattress on the floor and modern - The fact that she is watched for the beginning of this aria is a reminder of the prank. The staging of Ferrando behind her from the beginning also suggests how it is not a solo aria but a duet. - She has a knife as a prop and threatens him with it when he enters singing – instead of him having the knife as in the other production. He guides her hand with the knife and mimes her ending his life. - They are closer towards the end and he takes off her soldiers uniform much later than in the other production. End finale - no onstage chorus - all characters separate without contact - Not fully convinced that couples would be happy either way – all seem pretty angry at the entire situation. All separate – no contact, in same order of pairings. All distraught at the end – particularly Fiordiligi who appears to be tearing her hair out.

Answer 14

All outside on the beach, ladies appear distraught at their lovers having left. Don Alfonso moving during the recit whilst the ladies are static – his power? Camera pans back to show the figures standing ashore and staring into the middle distance whilst singing – not looking at or interacting with each other. Perhaps emphasising their separation into their own thoughts at this moment and the separation that is to come.

Answer 15

Set on a bench this time, sat with the two women on the bench and Don Alfonso just behind. Don Alfonso interacting with the ‘elements’ and the fly from above comes down – as if he is in control. For DA speakout moment he moved to stand between the two. DA leaves the two onstage as they both fall asleep on the bench. Outside bench – dressed in coats etc.

Answer 16

Again, all characters in a line staring out to the distance. This time DA on the end. Women look as if they are about to cry. Set inside. Fiordiligi in the middle, moving slightly more forwards (foreshadows that she will stay attached to her husband for the longest). Characters barely move – moment of stasis.

Answer 17

Inside the house, Despina playing up to the comic element whilst singing to the two women. Camera focus on Despina, as if the audience are the character she is speaking to at that time. This gives almost an impression that the fourth wall is being broken as she looks directly at the camera. Moving around the set in a manner aligned to the music in exaggerated comic dance style. Less of a focus on the attendance of the sisters she is talking to – somewhat unclear if they are actually listening.

Answer 18

Despina here is young, she communicates with the two women as if they are her friends. For example, through physical interaction and an arm around them. Dorabella seeming more attentive to the words Despina is speaking, Fiordiligi facing the other way as if not listening. Depsina also breaking the fourth wall in a way that she communicates with the audience. Fiordiligi refusing to interact in a way Dorabella is not parry to. Despina leaves them alone onstage. Sisters barely move whilst Despina commands the stage.

Answer 19

Despina older than the two girls, their childish nature is played up by the fact that in the recit before the aria they are playing with toys on the floor. Despina seems to have a strange sexual relationship with Don Alfonso. Sisters are playing around, don’t seem very adult in this production, spend a lot of time kneeling. Sisters both seem the same – not one more reluctant than the other. Sisters seem bored by the end of Despina’s showing off. No aside from Despina to the audience – the sisters seem to hear everything.

Answer 20

Transitioning into the garden. Dorabella less quickly giving into Guglielmo in the recit, who is getting assistance from Don Alfonso. Dorabella quickly won over by the time the duet begins. The two getting closer together. Sense of power dynamic controlled b Guglielmo.

Answer 21

Dorabella and Guglielmo outside. Guglielmo gives her a heart necklace in the recit just before. Dorabella sat on chair with G kneeling at her level. Staged in a way to represent the idea of a genuine love duet. They are very close together, moving and singing together. Power dynamic adjusts when he stands behind her to attach the necklace – shows how Dorabella has completely given in.

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