Cosi fan say what?

February 6, 2026

My Facebook feed has been full of ads for Vancouver Opera’s production of Cosi Fan Tutte. Almost non-stop. Now, I like me a bit of Mozart, including this somewhat problematic opera, but going to see it in Vancouver would be a major production. Okay, in theory you could get the fast foot passenger ferry over in the morning, see an opera matinee and get back the same night, but that’s a bit much. Although not as much as going to an evening performance and having to pay for a hotel – as nice as it might be to go to the big city. Anything good on at the Art Gallery? Well, actually, yes. But still.

This push is quite surprising. Normally, if they were doing Mozart (even this one), they’d be pretty much sold out well in advance. Oh, what’s this? Now (yesterday) they are offering buy-one-ticket-get-the-second-one-half-price? Hmm. How much would that be exactly? Maybe we could rush over for a matinee? Oh, it’s only for opening night which is now tomorrow. And even if the offer included the matinee, guess what? It’s next Sunday and we’ve already got tickets to go and see a great jazz singer. Oh, well. We’ve also got tickets for the matinee of Tosca in Victoria on the 22^nd. So we’ll get an opera fix this month.

Oh, look, the ad’s popped up again.

And underneath it now says: “Half off for your better half.” Huh? What is that supposed to mean? Who exactly is the better half? According to Lorenzo Da Ponte, the opera’s librettist, certainly not the women.

When you think about it, it really does suck, as this reviewer observes, that some of the most beautiful music Mozart ever created was written for this chauvinist pig shit.

Does Vancouver Opera in any way address this on their website? No, they do not.

Oh, but look!

Oh, my god, this production is set in the 1930s in Canada’s north and the two male leads are MOUNTIES!