Opera San José Launches Season With Mozart's Comedy COSÌ FAN TUTTE

Opera San José will open its 42nd season with Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a beloved romantic comedy where disguises, wagers, and mistaken identities test the limits of love and fidelity. Directed by internationally acclaimed tenor Alek Shrader in his OSJ directorial debut, and conducted by Music Director and Principal Conductor Joseph Marcheso, the production will run September 14–28, 2025 at the California Theatre.

Set in an 18th-century world of playful deception, Così fan tutte follows two young men who accept a wager from the scheming philosopher Don Alfonso that their girlfriends’ loyalty will falter before the day is done. What begins as a lighthearted bet quickly unravels into a revealing exploration of love, trust, and human vulnerability. The opera will be performed in Italian with English and Spanish supertitles.

“Opening our season with Così fan tutte is a joyful reminder of opera’s ability to entertain while probing the complexities of love, loyalty, and human behavior,” said Opera San José General Director & CEO Shawna Lucey. “Mozart’s music is endlessly inventive, and under Alek Shrader’s direction, this production invites audiences to experience the humor, vulnerability, and contradictions that define real relationships.”

The cast features Ricardo José Rivera as Guglielmo, joined by tenors Ricardo Garcia and Artist-in-Residence Benjamin Ruiz, both making house and role debuts as Ferrando. Artist-in-Residence Joanne Evans makes her debut as Dorabella, while Artist-in-Residence Emily Michiko Jensen takes on the role of Fiordiligi. Renowned bass-baritone Dale Travis appears as Don Alfonso, and Artist-in-Residence Nicole Koh, praised last season as Papagena, will sing Despina.