Opera Daily 🎶 — The most beautiful trio that Mozart ever wrote?

This week's Opera Daily features “Soave sia il vento,” a trio from Act 1 of the Italian-language opera Così fan tutte

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Mozart wrote his first opera when he was 12 years old and composed 22 operas in his lifetime. He has given us so much incredible material that we could feature a piece of his every week for the next three years and still have parts left over.

Today we are listening to “Soave sia il vento,” a trio from Act 1 of the Italian opera Così fan tutte (KOH-zee-fahn-TOOT-eh) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

This piece might be one of the most beautiful trios that Mozart ever wrote.

It is sung by the characters Fiordiligi (soprano), Dorabella (mezzo-soprano), and Don Alfonso (bass).

Renée Fleming, Anne Sofie von Otter, and Michele Pertusi are singing here in a London recording of Così fan tutte from 1994 conducted by Sir Georg Solti.

The subject of loyalty pervades this opera, and its overall meaning is ambiguous and open to various interpretations.

The story begins with two men (Ferrando, tenor and Guglielmo, bass) bragging about their lover’s fidelity. Don Alfonso, a cynical bachelor, mocks their certainty and suggests they bet on it. Determined to prove Don Alfonso wrong, the two men pretend to go off to war, return in disguise, and attempt to seduce the other’s lover.

This moment comes during Act I when Fiordiligi and Dorabella wish their lovers well as they go off to war.

If you listen closely, at the start of the trio, the strings imitate the sound of the sea. 🌊

May the wind be gentle,
may the wave(s) be calm,
and may every one of the elements
warmly fulfill our (your) wishes.

Want more?

• Così fan tutte premiered on January 26, 1790 and when translated is literally “So do they all,” using the feminine plural (tutte) to indicate women. You will see it translated into English as “Women are like that” or “That’s what all women do.”

• The “voice” required to sing Mozart is often different from the “voice” that sings, let’s say, Verdi. Verdi’s music has a chunkier orchestra than Mozart’s music does. Mozart wrote music to be sung in a smaller theater (under 1,000 seats) with a smaller orchestra, meaning heavier voices like full lyrics or dramatic sopranos often sing Verdi’s music. Many singers can sing both, but the approach to the music can sometimes be very different.

• As I have said before, when we featured an aria from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart is medicine for the voice. If your vocal technique is weak, Mozart reminds you of that while singing! He is sneaky. Mozart may appear “easy” to sing, but don’t let that fool you - it’s deceptively hard.

• The playwright Arthur Miller said, “Mozart is happiness before it has gotten defined.” I couldn’t agree more. What do you think? Do you have a favorite Mozart opera?

Grateful for your time and ears,

Michele

PS. Missed our last edition? We featured Leontyne Price and Carlo Bergonzi singing the final scene from Aida, “O terra addio”.

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