Chicago weekend: Cosi fan tutte

Saturday morning, after the Friday night CSO concert, I jumped in the car and drove to Chicago to take in the Lyric Opera's production of Mozart's comic opera, "Cosi fan tutte." It's been a while since I've been to the Lyric, and my first impression of the seats in this glorious old building was -- my, how small and cramped they are. One does get accustomed to comfort in the glittering new palaces of music that seem to be proliferating everywhere.

But what a production! This "Cosi fan tutte" was perfection, from beginning to end. And imagine my delight at discovering that one of the stars (Dorabella) was Cincinnati's own Lauren McNeese -- that is, she earned her master's degree at CCM in 2000, performed the title role in "The Rape of Lucretia" and has sung several times with the CSO.

The production, updated to 1914 at "a hotel at a Mediterranean resort," came from San Francisco. The concept, designed by Robert Perdziola and directed by John Cox, worked beautifully and captured that elusive quality of light and dark -- really, of human nature -- that gives "Cosi" its true character.

The magical painted backdrop of the deep-blue Mediterranean reminded one of Cannes or Nice, and the hotel, with its sweeping sheer draperies, striped awnings and high-class clientele, might have been the set of a Merchant Ivory film. When the boys went off to "war," it was, of course, World War I, and the hotel was transformed to a kind of military hospital, where the girls, as Red Cross nurses, performed their volunteer duties.

A sparkling overture conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, the Lyric's music director, set the tone. The orchestra performed superbly all evening, in one of the most seamless collaborations between stage and pit I've heard outside of James Levine at the Met.

This was a cast to treasure, too, evenly matched in Mozart's glorious ensembles and with assured individual characterizations. Erin Wall as Fiordiligi was the standout, singing her coloratura showstopper, "Come scoglio," with dazzling effortlessness and believable ardor. As her sister Dorabella, McNeese was a vivacious contrast, and brought freshness and charm to her role.

The men, Eric Cutler (Ferrando) and Nathan Gunn (Guglielmo), were also well-matched, and managed to convey the comic side of this Mozart/da Ponte masterpiece with unexaggerated characterizations. Sir Thomas Allen made an ideal Don Alfonso, as he wavered between pompousness and wisdom.

Then there was Despina, the red-headed maid. Sicilian soprano Nuccia Focile must have studied Lucile Ball for this role. She was, you could say, a pistol -- but a delightful one. (You'll see her antics this summer in Cincinnati Opera's production of "Cosi." I can't wait.)

In the end, the lovers didn't return sadder-but-wiser to their original lovers, but the director kept the element of ambiguity that the creators intended. The production closed on a sobering note, as the lovers kissed each other good-bye, and the boys went off to war, this time for real.

(L to R)Lauren McNeese as Dorabella Nuccia Focile as Despina and Erin Wall as Fiordiligi, in Così fan tutte for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2006-07 season. Photo by Dan Rest/Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The opera closes March 16. 312-332-2244.