Iowa Public Radio to broadcast Luther College opera production

Iowa Public Radio will broadcast Luther College’s spring 2018 production of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27,  and at 11 p.m. Sunday, April 28. The opera broadcast is part of Iowa Public Radio’s program “Arias in April,” which highlights performances of opera productions from around the state of Iowa.

With music by Mozart and the libretto text by Lorenzo da Ponte, “Così fan tutte” explores the question: “Who could be more faithful than our fiancées?” Nobody, according to soldiers Ferrando and Guglielmo, who are engaged to sisters Dorabella and Fiordiligi….until the skeptical Don Alfonso is willing to wager them against the claim. Don Alfonso has an elaborate scheme up his sleeve: stage a fake military procession that whisks the boys away to war (or so the sisters think), incite an emotional goodbye, get their chambermaid Despina involved in the wager and disguise the boys as Albanians ready to woo the disheartened sisters.

At its most serious, Mozart’s opera “Così fan tutte” flirts with infidelity and betrayal and the inherent consequences, illuminated by some of his most divine music for voice and orchestra. At its lightest, it is a farcical comedy of errors, complete with mistaken identities, magnet therapy and notaries in ridiculous wigs. In the end, it is a vehicle for Don Alfonso, the seasoned philosopher, to remind the young lovers, and indeed all of us, that true love will require forgiveness.

Daniel Baldwin, Luther professor of music, conducted the performance that featured 31 student singers and the Luther College Chamber Orchestra.

The chorus for the performance included Mayalyn Cott, Eddy Galstad, Jenna Reimann, Sarah Smallfield, Katie Stuelke, Grace Huber, Abigail Korenchan, Kiley Korey, Gabrielle Laske, Garret Baumler, Jarrod Gross, Sean McKenzie, Riley Peters, Jacob Schmidt, Kurt Anderson, Xavier Conzet, Colin Cosgrove, Noah Lauer, Kelvin Li, and Jacob Southerland.

Andrew Whitfield, Luther associate professor of music, acted as the stage director for the production; Carla Thelen Hanson, Luther instructor in music, served as assistant stage director. Musical direction and preparation was by Nicholas Shaneyfelt, assistant professor of music.