Così fan tutte (They All Do It) K588

Kind: Comic opera in two acts

Ferrando and Guglielmo bet against Don Alfonso, the old cynic, that there fiancees, sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are loyal to them. Alfonso persuades them to pretend they are leaving Naples, and then come back disguised as very rich Albanians. The sisters' maid, Despina, helps Don Alfonso to prove the sisters' being light-minded, and from here and on the plot thickens when everyone falls in love with the wrong person. Eventually, things fall back into place and forgiveness prevails.

This comic opera is the most Italian piece the Austrian Mozart ever wrote. It is so Italian it is presented worldwide in its Italian name "Cosi Fan Tutte". There were many, including Beethoven, who criticized the unlikely and even absurd story. The implied mentioning of sex drew yet more criticism, and many argued it is unfit and unworthy of the opera stage in the first place. The music, however, was generally appreciated more highly of, in spite of, and perhaps because of, the libretto's (opera text) shortcoming.