Let’s start at the end. After three hours (including interval) of superb singing and comedic shenanigans we come to the same conclusion that Eric Idle came to in Life of Brian. That is, that one should always look on the bright side of life.

Pretty simple philosophy, so why does it take three hours to get to it? Because it’s opera people and you just have to give yourself over to the absolute pleasure of it, if you’ll pardon me pinching a line from Rocky Horror.

The pleasure lies in the visuals, the singing and the music, my god the music! Cosi fan tutte is an opera by Mozart with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte who also wrote Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, also with music by Mozart.

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Greek maestra Zoe Zeniodi played beautifully and it’s a privilege to spend time listening to music like this.

Thursday night was opening night (it runs in the Playhouse at QPAC until August 26) and it was a full house and a lively audience. There was a lot of laughter too and everyone seemed to love the humour and this would be a great entry level opera for those unfamiliar with the form. It’s just so entertaining and easy to follow thanks to the surtitles and the superb theatrical skills on display.

It is a comedic opera first performed in 1790, a typical farce with echoes of Shakespeare who did write some silly plays after all.

It’s about a couple of young soldiers, Guglielmo (Jeremy Kleeman) and Ferrando (Brendan Spiteri) who are talked into playing a sick trick on their girlfriends.

Naughty old Don Alfonso (Shaun Brown) talks them into pretending to go off to war. Then he talks them into getting into disguise and attempting to crack onto their own girlfriends (they do a swap here after the girls each choose the wrong bloke) to see if they are faithful. The original and rather chauvinistic premise of the story is that women are generally fickle and that makes it dated but it’s also quite amusing and pretty inoffensive in the scheme of things.

Samantha Clarke is Fiorgiligi and Anna Downsley is Dorabella.

It’s a pretty basic plot that offers lots of room for laughs and it’s actually pretty hilarious once you succumb to the silliness.

I once had an editor who suggested that the admonition to “have a bit of fun with it” was the kiss of death to any story. But not in this show. The performers do have a lot of fun with it. There’s a lot of physical comedy and Brenton Spiteri is particularly adept at it and there is plenty of nudging and winking going on.

The set is amazing, particularly in the first half. Elizabeth Gadsby’s design was inspired by the television series The White Lotus, season two actually which is set in Sicily. This time the setting is also an Italianate resort and that works a treat. The Queensland Opera Chorus serves as staff and everyone looks relaxed. Shaun Brown comes on as Don Alfonso wearing a Panama hat – quite the spiv.

Leanne Kenneally is Despina who helps Don Alfonso with his trickery and she really seems to be enjoying herself.

The White Lotus holiday setting works a treat and there is a bit of resort wear happening particularly when the boys turn up in disguise as a couple of lounging lotharios dressed in cabana wear. We know it’s still them of course but the girls don’t seem to recognize them. Improbable but there you have it.

Now for the singing. Well, it is … magnifico. Sung in Italian of course.

I thought soprano Samantha Clarke was a standout. Amazing voice. But really everyone was terrific and local baritone Shaun Brown’s experience and stage presence was a kind of centre of gravity for the piece.

To sing so beautifully while acting and throwing yourself around the stage is not, I imagine, easy but the cast managed it pretty well and Opera Queensland CEO and artistic director Patrick Nolan, who helmed this production, choreographs the whole thing beautifully. Under Nolan the company is doing some very interesting work and making opera more accessible than ever.

And the use of visuals with a giant screen as a backdrop at times, honing in on the visages of the singers is a nice touch.

It explores the idea of romantic love in all its guises but philosophically Cosi fan tutte is not that deep. It’s all a bit of fun and even though the women are duped and angry when the trickery is revealed they all seem happy enough in the end. And I left humming to myself …” Always look on the bright side of life …” Sing along if you feel inclined.

oq.com.au