Settle in the seats of the Jubilee Auditorium for a new take on a 232-year old operatic romantic comedy reimagined by an all-female creative team.
Two sisters are put to the test when their fiancés pull elaborate pranks on them to prove their faithfulness in Edmonton Opera’s reimagined production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, which translates to “women are like that.” The all-Canadian cast includes St. Albert’s Caitlin Wood, who sings the role of Despina/Dez.
“The production shows the real core of what it is to be human, and that everybody makes mistakes and that we all need to be available to learn lessons from those mistakes,” says Wood. “And then on the flip side, the show is filled with a lot of comedy, like jokes, running around the stage and people dressing up in different costumes looking ridiculous.”
Wood has performed the role of Despina before. In fact, it was one of her first opera roles with Opera Nuova and Kim Mattice Wanat, who is directing the show for Edmonton Opera. She’s also performed the show in Toronto with Against the Grain Theatre, which is run by Edmonton Opera Artistic Director Joel Ivany.
“It’s very full circle and it feels like there’s a bunch of these connections,” says Wood.
Wanat set the show during the Napoleonic Wars and it features intricate regency costumes by Deanna Finnman that evoke the style of Bridgerton and Jane Austen novels. Jennifer Taverner and Stephanie Tritchew star alongside Wood as Fiordiligi and Dorabella, respectively. Cosi fan tutte is sung in Italian with projected English translation and is led by conductor Cosette Justo Valdés of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
Edmonton Opera’s production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte is on March 19, 22 and 25 at the Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets start at $29 and the show is recommended for ages 10 and up.
Edmonton Opera is requiring face masks be worn by all audience members, including during the performance.
