COSI FAN TUTTE Comes to the Juilliard Opera

Juilliard Opera will present Mozart’s Così fan tutte on November 18, 21, and 23 at Juilliard’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Mo Zhou, who was a Juilliard Marcus Institute Opera Directing Fellow, sets this new production of Mozart’s classic opera buffa in bohemian San Francisco in the late 1960s. Conductor Patrick Furrer, a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s music staff, makes his debut leading the Juilliard Orchestra. The opera, sung in Italian with English supertitles, is presented without chorus.

Così fan tutte, one of Mozart’s most beloved operas, is a favorite of audiences and also classic repertoire for students. Zhou’s powerful new production brings a relevant new take on Mozart’s comedy with a new ending addressing the original libretto’s antifeminist perspective. Così fan tutte is frequently performed on stages around the world; Juilliard last mounted the opera in 2019. 

“In this reimagined production of Così fan tutte, set against the backdrop of 1967 San Francisco during the Summer of Love, we reframe the opera as a coming-of-age journey for four young lovers,” Zhou says. “Collaborating with Juilliard students, I’ve aimed to bring a fresh lens to the problematic classical canon, emphasizing the humanity at the heart of the story while infusing it with social awareness. This production empowers young performing artists to connect deeply with their audience, embodying their roles as both artists and engaged citizens.”

Performances take place on Monday, November 18, and Thursday, November 21, both at 7:30pm; and Saturday, November 23, at 2 pm. The November 23 performance will be livestreamed and available to view at juilliard.edu/calendar via Juilliard LIVE, the school’s free digital platform, which provides access to performance livestreams and programming from across the music, dance, drama, and preparatory divisions.

Tickets are $50 (Members: $25) and are available at juilliard.edu or the Juilliard box office.