Philadelphia Weekly

ARTS AND CULTURE

Cosi Fan Tutte

By Cary Carr

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Mar. 17, 2011

A relationship absent of cheating, lying and suspicion in 2011? Impossible! Especially when it comes to on-campus romance. So Center City Opera Theater and a group of Drexel students have developed a perfectly devious fidelity test for their significant others—all in a cleverly revamped version of Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte.” The English language version of the opera will attract a younger crowd, appeased by the humor and innovation meant to breathe life back into the theater. Don Alfonso is a college grad who is hell bent on proving how fickle college students are when it comes to young love and convinces two seniors to test their girlfriends’ devotion. How you ask? By pretending they’re being drafted to Afghanistan, return disguised as foreign exchange students and use their overseas charm to court the two easily duped girlfriends. It may seem a bit dramatic for a college campus—where infidelity typically occurs in a dark basement, courtesy of cheap beer and Jell-O shots—but the theater is known for being over-the-top. So open your mind and ears to Mozart university-style, but leave the Natty Ice and black-lights in the dorm room. After all, it’s still the opera.

Thru Mar. 20. $5-$49. The Mandell Theater, 3300 Chestnut St. 215.895.2453