CANYON, Texas — Two sets of lovers find their relationships tested by lies, disguises and more than a bit of good old-fashioned sexism in West Texas A&M University Opera’s spring performance.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. April 25, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. April 27 and 2:30 p.m. April 28 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus.
Tickets are $15 or free for WT students, faculty and staff with a Buff Gold Card.
The title translates to “Woman are like that,” and the story finds two young men, Ferrando (Julian Ayala and Joshua Moreno, in alternating performances) and Guglielmo (Kyler Hilton and Eduardo Guaderrama), being convinced by their friend Don Alfonso (Oscar Hample and Kelton Harbison) that their faithful fiancées are, indeed, fickle. The men feign being called away to war, then return to town in disguise to attempt to seduce the other’s lover.
“‘Così’ is one of Mozart’s most brilliant compositions; the music in this show is just incredible,” said Sarah Beckham-Turner, WT Opera director and assistant professor of voice in WT’s School of Music. “Written in 1790, Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte created a hilarious show that is, well, degrading to women. As a woman who is directing ‘Così,’ I think it is important to shape the piece to highlight the strengths of women and not degrade them.”
It’s working.
“There are a few lines that are, like, oh. OK,” said Abigail Hite, a senior music education major from Nashville, who plays Dorabella. “I explain the plot to people, and they look a little scared until I tell them it’s a comedy and really hilarious. It’s like a sitcom. Everyone knows it’s dumb, and that’s where the comedy comes in.”
“I really had to think about it,” Hample said. “But after learning the material more, there’s really a beauty in bringing it to life. And the stereotypes really are just hysterical.”
Beckham-Turner has shifted the action to 1967, in the middle of the Summer of Love, and characters reflect the long-haired and tie-dyed aesthetic of the time.
“I chose to set this piece in 1967 because it was such an incredible year of change in our society, and it aligns with the Vietnam War,” Beckham-Turner said.
Cast members for the April 25 show and April 27 matinee are Brooklynn King, a sophomore music performance major from Pearland, as Fiordiligi; McKenna Cooper, a senior music therapy major from Midlothian, as Dorabella; Erin Hinds, a senior music performance major rom Amarillo, as Despina; Ayala, a senior music technology major from Fort Worth; Hilton, a sophomore music education major from Amarillo; and Hample, a senior musical theatre major from Wasilla, Alaska.
Cast members for the April 27 evening performance and April 28 matinee are Hite; Taylor Lindley, a graduate student in music performance from Pampa, as Fiordiligi; Sarah Estes, a sophomore music major from Turpin, Oklahoma, as Despina; Moreno, a junior music education major from Canyon; Guaderrama, a graduate student in conducting from Friona; and Harbison, a sophomore music education major from Canyon.
Chorus members for all productions are Juliana Rodriguez, a junior musical theatre major from El Paso; Joli Goebel, a senior music major from Amarillo; Korbin Cole, a freshman music education major from Pampa; Elliott Lewis, a freshman music education major from College Station; Brendan King, a freshman music education major from Pearland; Devin Lindley, a freshman musical theatre major from Pampa; Zachary Todd, a May 2023 graduate in musical theatre from Flower Mound; Faith Powell, a junior music education major from Amarillo; Connor Cooksey, a junior music education major from San Antonio; Lia Gonzales, a freshman music therapy major from Brenham; Sarah Boydston, a sophomore music education major from Amarillo; and Zoe Kizziar, a sophomore music education major from Canyon.
Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.
Photo: The course of true love never runs smooth in West Texas A&M University Opera’s “Così fan tutte,” on stage April 25, 27 and 28. Stars include, from left, Joshua Moreno as Ferrando, Taylor Lindley as Fiordilgi, Eduardo Guderrama as Guglielmo and McKenna Cooper as Dorabrella.
