Sample Oberlin's 'Cosi' and more at FYI: Opera

Gabriel Stefanides, far left, and Anthony Anderson, far right, will sing at the March 12 FYI: Opera program. They are shown in a scene from Oberlin’s 2019 production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Photo by Yvchen Gulienko

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On March 12, the FYI: Opera program offers the gift of listening to great music and outstanding voices from the Oberlin Opera Theater. This event takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Westlake Porter Library, 27333 Center Ridge Road, and is provided free to the community by the Westlake-Westshore Arts Council.

Director of Oberlin Opera Theater Jonathon Field will bring three singers who are featured in Oberlin’s upcoming full production of Mozart’s "Cosi fan Tutte." These voices are Anthony Anderson, bass; Rosamund Dyer, mezzo soprano; and tenor Gabriel Stefanides.

Oberlin Music Director Tony Cho will accompany the singers on the piano. In addition to three arias and a duet from “Cosi,” Field promises other selections from opera’s classical repertoire will be performed.

In the upcoming Oberlin production of "Cosi," Stefanides as Ferrando is the lover to Dyer’s character Dorabella. And Anderson is Guglielmo, lover of Dorabella’s sister. Dyer and Anderson will sing the duet from Act 2, at the March 12 FYI: Opera program.

The literal translation of Così fan Tutte means "So do they all" but “tutte” is the feminine plural, which indicates women and brings about the usual English translation "Women are like that." This phrase is sung by three male characters in the scene before the opera’s finale. While this Mozart work is humorous opera, it has been described in the Britannica Encyclopedia as an opera of “flawless workmanship.”

For almost 30 years, the FYI: Opera programs have reflected the WWAC mission: to provide the community with an enhanced and broadened cultural life that promotes awareness, education and involvement in the arts.