Exploring the background to Così has been a fascinating journey of discovery in preparing for the performances I am conducting for Opera Holland Park. Equally fascinating is how this opera is so relevant to our times, containing seeds of modernism in terms of its approach to the music and drama: something this opera is rarely associated with.

We often appreciate Così fan tutte on a surface level and are used to listening to Mozart as background music, on adverts, television, as aural wallpaper. It is easy to overlook the richness and depth of the music. This is one of the challenges of interpreting Così: understanding the concepts behind the music and text and how these are transmitted to the details of the music drama. These are key to unraveling the many layers of meaning – some of which are not always obvious and sometimes the music can mean two conflicting things.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/gramophone-guest-blog/getting-to-grips-with-mozarts-così-fan-tutte

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