The most famous loyalty test in opera history is blowing like a breath of fresh air into the program of the Salzburg Festival one year after its new production by Christof Loy. “Cosi fan tutte” – a triumph of youth and scenic minimalism, just as the composer would have liked.
It is well known that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not a food lover. A journey through time to the festival “Cosi” 2020/21 would have delighted him. Young people, beautiful women, great voices – paired with his wonderful music. Composer heart, what more do you want?
The staging of Christof Loy with a very young singing ensemble by festival standards and the conductor Joana Mallwitz, who is also only 35 years old at the podium of the Vienna Philharmonic, received a rain of positive reviews last year. Rightly. Seldom have cultural critics, audiences and artistic directors been so unanimous. Markus Hinterhäuser said of the Mozart opera: “This Cosi has blown into the festival program like a fresh breeze in 2020 – with a lightness and elegance that you will probably never experience a second time.”
On Friday evening, this “breeze” caused a storm of enthusiasm once again in the Great Festival Hall. Because she has charm and wit. Because the singers are also great acting. Because here not a single star sings everything to the ground with one or two arias, but has found a harmonious, playful ensemble. And because the minimalist stage design by Johannes Leiacker is simply pleasantly simple in times of what feels like a thousand social media images every day. A pleasure.