Così fan tutte – Un'aura amorosa (Daniel Behle, The Royal Opera)

Così fan tutte was Mozart’s third and final collaboration with the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, following Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni. Like its predecessors, Così exemplifies the heights opera can reach when the skills of composer and librettist are perfectly matched. But Così’s reception has always been more complex than that of the other Mozart/Da Ponte operas, with the opera variously considered immoral, unfinished, cruel or simply odd since its 1790 premiere. Now finally accepted as one of Mozart’s masterpieces, it is celebrated as much for its nuanced depiction of love as for its glorious music – a near continuous roll-call of favourites, including the terzetto ‘Soave sia il vento’ and the arias ‘Come scoglio’, ‘Tradito, schernito’ and ‘È amore un ladroncello’.

German director Jan Philipp Gloger makes his Royal Opera debut with this new production of Così fan tutte, following such previous credits as Der fliegende Holländer for the Bayreuth Festival and Der Rosenkavalier for Dutch National Opera. He and his team of regular collaborators take their inspiration from Mozart and Da Ponte’s alternative title for the opera: ‘The School for Lovers’. Don Alfonso, a mischievous theatrical impresario, leads the young lovers on a journey through their emotions, using all the resources of his theatre in a quest to prove to them that, in Gloger’s words, ‘love is not a God-given thing, but something that we have to fight for, find, define, create and dream newly, almost every day’.

[RoyalBalletAndOpera]

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[operaspark]

I was there and the way he makes the notes float into the air is simply breathtaking. Time seemed to stand still.

[victorellams]

some of the best Mozart tenor singing I've heard for ages One of those occasions where time stood still

[daniellereid]

Aside from the incredible beauty, it is so refreshing to see someone singing with all his technique so impeccably in place. Bravo! A superlative performance.

[riohenry]

I love the little smile when he has achieved the most difficult part of this aria, the pianissimo on high notes. It totally changes the emotional impact of this aria. Bravo ! I believe many tenors will try to imitate this wonderful masterpiece of interpretation and of breath control

[henningviljoen]

Most sensitive and beautiful rendition of this aria I have ever heard!! Bravo!

[gd]

One of the best performing of Un"aura Amorosa" i've heard since The real soul of Mozart...

[christophernunn]

It ideed the best I've ever heard, his control is astounding. Sometimes in my quieter moments I here this beautiful singing in my head. Bravo young man!

[stranraerwal]

This is BEL CANTO at its best. To be able to witness such mastery of the technique and the art of singing nowadays is a great joy. Thank you, Mr.Dehle, and Kudos!

[xxxx-odrl]

...so unglaublich schön! Ich kenne keine schönere Tenorstimme. Dieses Video habe ich bestimmt schon 20 Mal gesehen.🥰
Großartig!!!
Ganz wunderbar sind auch seine Schubert Lieder.

[riohenry]

Congratulations Mr Behle on a perfectly executed new high bar for tenors singing this aria in the future. Not every tenor can sing those high notes pianissimo. Bravo !

[jessewarner]

This is the best I’ve seen this done. So sensitive, like he’s really trying not to wake them, and with the feeling that makes this more than a filler aria that it sometimes can be. He makes it his own. Bravo!

[donprudenzio]

Beautiful tenor voice. Sung with such sensitivity, love every minute of it!

[kevinmark]

I’ve never heard anyone else throw in an optional B natural on the last “Al cor porgera”
But I LOVE it, wow.

[skyhunk]

He acquits himself very well in this role. Sung with much sensitivity and delicacy!

[romanason]

A fantastic rendition - I keep coming back to it over the monmths.. Love that dribble!!

[bastianinicorelli]

Absolutely extraordinary! Both the phenomenal poetic singing of Behle and the accompaniment of Bychkov! This was indeed the high point of the whole performance. Unbelievable that someone today can sing Ferrando with such perfection and such refined poetic feeling! I saw Behle in 2008 in Stockholm in Cenerentola and was extremely impressed. Now I feel transported into Heaven with his singing and Bychkov's conducting.

[Frederic]

Wow... brillant interpretation. Chapeau! And of course the splendid music of this aria, a masterpiece of Mozart.

[pianoronald]

Beautiful voice, great breath control.

[monicamenis]

I am speechless with pleasure at this rendition. This is like I imagined it should be sung. Thank you Daniel.