Experience a fresh take on Mozart and Da Ponte’s effervescent comedy.
Nature or nurture? Are women like that? Who is like what exactly? And why do the men behave so badly in this story?
In Barefoot Opera’s new production, Don Alfonso is a scientist bent on testing his thesis: “All women are like that”. A human experiment is set up – but does Alfonso have the last laugh?
You can catch Barefoot’s new production of Cosi Fan Tutte at two locations this summer:
Outdoor Opera at the Big Wood Estate
A unique opportunity to view this fabulous privately owned Tudor mansion and its estate.
5pm (doors open from 4pm), Saturday September 5th, Crowhurst Place, Lingfield RH7 6LY
General admission £38.62
Windsor Festival
Maidenhead Music Society present Cosi Fan Tutte in the intimate Courtyard Theatre at Norden Farm.
7.30pm, Wednesday September 23rd, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Road, Maidenhead SL6 4PF
Tickets £30 (Maidenhead Music Society members £25)
Synopsis:
Act I
Two young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, boast about how faithful their fiancées are. Their friend Don Alfonso thinks all women are flighty and proposes a bet to prove it. Their fiancées, two sisters, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are waiting for their boyfriends to arrive when Don Alfonso appears, giving them the false information that their boyfriends have been called to war. The men say their farewells, and Don Alfonso and the heartbroken sisters sing the famous trio ‘Soave sia il vento’ as they watch the boat leave the dock. Meanwhile Despina, the sisters’ maid, complains about the put-upon life of a servant – interrupted by the girls who are in deep distress. Despina advises them to take the parting lightly. Don Alfonso arrives to bribe Despina – she is to introduce the ladies to “two strangers” . These are of course our young officers in exotic disguise. Despina doesn’t recognise the men – the sisters enter and are furious and the young men are left laughing at Don Alfonso, as they are sure they will win their bet. Ferrando sings ‘Un aura amorosa’ – a hymn to love. The Don prepares for another attack. He sends the men, still in disguise, to pretend to the women they have taken poison out of heartbreak, which tricks the women into feeling pity. However, an attempted kiss sends them into orbit once more.
Act 2
Despina works on the women, giving them tips on how to have a little fun without heartbreak. The sisters decide to take her advice and a meeting is set up. Slowly, the women give in to the flattery of the “new” men. Dorabella falls for the disguised Guglielmo, and Fiordiligi, after a prayer for forgiveness to her official fiancé (Per pietá), eventually falls for the disguised Ferrando.
Don Alfonso wins his bet, declaring that “all women act like this”. The “war” ends, and the real men return. They drop their disguises and reveal the trick. All six characters are forced to confront the complicated truth about human nature and forgiveness.
Artists’ Biogs
Joel Robson – Don Alfonso
Joel is currently at the Royal Academy of Music Opera School, having recently appeared as Argante (Rinaldo) and Dancaïre (Carmen), and won the Blyth-Buesst Operatic Prize. His teacher is Mark Wildman, and his studies are supported by the Anatoly Mishin Award. Joel also holds a BA, MA, and an MPhil from King’s College, Cambridge, where he was also a Choral Scholar, and an MPerf from the Royal College of Music.
Katerina Oikonomou – Fiordiligi / Ensemble
Katerina Oikonomou is a coloratura soprano celebrated for her vivid stage presence and exceptional vocal agility. Recent roles include the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) and Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail). An international prizewinner, she has received First Prizes in New York, London, and the Vivaldi Competition, and was a laureate of the Mozart Competition in Vienna. She also collaborated with the Marina Abramović Institute and works as a screen actress.
Bartosz Thiede – Ferrando / Ensemble
Bart Thiede is a Polish-Irish award-winning composer, musical director and conductor based in Oxford. A University of Oxford graduate, he works across theatre, broadcasting, choral music and opera. He recently created Have You Met Stan?, which opened at London’s King’s Head Theatre after Brighton Fringe and OFFBEAT Festival runs. His commercial recordings include Mater Mundi (Chorum) and On Christmas Night (OxRecs), alongside original soundtracks for podcasts and short films. As an artistic director, he has produced large-scale concert series and festivals. Bart has also led music programmes in schools, cathedrals, and festivals, with a focus on accessible, cross-genre performance.
Oscar Castellino – Guglielmo / Ensemble
A graduate of the RCM and recipient of the Christopher Ball Welsh National Opera Scholarship, and ensemble singer at the Royal Opera, Oscar made his solo debut at Welsh National Opera as George Benton in Dead Man Walking. The Times UK described his performance as James Meredith in Kommiltonen1 as ‘a highlight’, while the Morning Star praised him as ‘mesmerising’. Oscar is a longtime associate of Barefoot Opera.
Isaac Conibear – Guglielmo / Ensemble
Isaac Conibear is a postgraduate baritone, studying under the tuition of Dr Robert Anderson at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Isaac holds the Drapers de Turkheim scholarship for the 2025-2026, after receiving the Kathleen Robert’s Vocal Scholarship for the previous year. Isaac competed in RCSheriff’s young musician of the year in 2019 having won the first prize, and also competed again in 2021 receiving the 2nd prize.
Mahtab Ghamsari – Dorabella / Ensemble
Mahtab Ghamsari is an Iranian-Canadian soprano currently completing a Master in Vocal Studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. Mahtab sings both Iranian and Classical music and started training in Opera in 2018. Her performed roles include The dew fairy (Hansel & Gretel), Valencienne (The Merry Widow), Blue Fairy (Pinocchio) among others. She also works in music research and media technology, building software, electronic instruments, and research on live music.
Zara Donaldson – Despina / Ensemble
Zara is pursuing a Masters Degree at Trinity Laban studying with Patricia Rozario. Past performances include Giulietta in Bellini’s Capuletti e I Montecchi for the University of Redlands Conservatory California, soloist with Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir and Berlin Opera Academy as Dew Fairy in Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel.
Ruby Caddick Laurence – Despina / Ensemble
Ruby is a soprano, vocalist and composer based in London. Having studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire and Goldsmiths University, Ruby performs a variety of repertoire, with a passion for contemporary classical and experimental music, exploring non-traditional notation, improvisation and performance art.
Ilona Nastase – Dorabella / Ensemble
Versatile Mezzo-Soprano, talented in foreign languages, multitasking, and with a positive work ethic, Ilona has significant experience in chorus singing and solo performance. Ilona’s studies at Trinity Laban are supported by the Morag Noble Scholarship. With a vast knowledge of Arts & Humanities as a result of her studies in Musicology, she is a creative problem-solver with outstanding critical thinking abilities. Although still studying and constantly improving, her attention to detail is shown in her performance practice, while her focus on working collaboratively results in great professional reviews both on and off stage.
Jenny Miller – Director
Jenny Miller sang for Glyndebourne, Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Scottish Opera, and the RBO, Brunnhilde, Tosca and Witch for Longborough Festival Opera, developing a parallel career as a director. Directing credits include L’Incoronazione Di Poppea, the four Da Ponte/Mozart operas, Die Zauberflote, Rinaldo, Xerxes, Alcina and Anna Bolena for LFO, directing touring versions of these productions. Jenny continues to research the link between classical voice training and current theatre practice.
Lesley Anne Sammons – Music Director / Keyboard / Arrangement
Lesley Anne Sammons is a conductor, répétiteur, arranger and vocal coach. As répétiteur and vocal coach she has held full-time positions at Scottish Opera, Teatro Massimo di Palermo and Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Lesley Anne is an Associate Lecturer at Chichester, nurturing young talent on the Triple Threat Course for Musical Theatre.
Amy Baldwin – Double Bass
Amy is a dynamic jazz soloist known for her vibrant stage presence and wide-ranging collaborations, performing with leading UK artists including Mark Lockheart, Simon Purcell, Joy Ellis and Liane Carroll. Her work spans theatre, session work and live performance, with a recent stint at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Gerry’s Girls. Current projects include Kayio sessions at Karamel N22, La Bouche Manouche and Tricity Vogue All Girl Swing Band.
Alexandra Baybutt – Movement Director
Alexandra Baybutt (PhD, RSME, CMA) works as a movement director and artist, educator and researcher in the UK and internationally since 2004. She has been working with Jenny Miller on the Barefoot embodied pedagogy along with Evelyn Miller and Penny Randall-Davis for over a decade. She lectures in performance practice and devising at UCL on the BA Creative Arts and Humanities amongst other freelance projects.
Wendy Olver – Costume Designer
New Zealand-born Wendy Olver is a multi-talented designer, costumier and stylist and her work has featured in everything from music videos, theatre and fashion shoots to window displays and advertising. She is a positive, hard-working professional with a wealth of experience in costume and prop design always able to think on her feet and work well under pressure, whilst maintaining a high level of work ethic.
Jack Hathaway – Lighting Designer
Previous credits include: After Miss Julie (Park); Da Vinci’s Laundry, FLUSH (Riverside Studios); Rapunzel (Theatre Royal Bury); The Poltergeist (Arcola Theatre); Far Away (Ambika P3); Shout! The Musical (UK Tour); The Watch (The Glitch) Super Model in the Caff, Moderation (Hope Theatre); Damien Nettles (Quay Arts); The Stone God (Bloomsbury Theatre); Empty But Solid (The Place); Peter Pan (Malthouse); I Really Do Think This Will Change Your Life (Mercury Theatre); Still Lives (Peckham Rye).
Eric Moll – Stage Manager
Eric Moll is a theatre practitioner from Anchorage, Alaska, who has been living in the UK since 2021. Selected directing credits include Into the Woods (Bangor University) and Dream & Variation (Bangor University; also co-writer and composer).
Boaz Johnson – Assistant to the Musical Director
Boaz is a pianist, teacher and music facilitator based in South-East London. He grew up in Cardiff, and attended the RWCMD Junior Conservatoire before studying Music at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he completed a dissertation on the performance of Western Art music, marginality and embodiment. He has worked extensively accompanying singing, and is currently working as an associate lecturer at Goldsmiths.
Maya Dagan – Assistant Movement Director
Maya Dagan is a movement director, performer, and theatre-maker trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her work is rooted in honouring each actor’s unique movement heritage, celebrating individuality within the creative process. She works across a range of genres, including classical theatre, puppetry, physical theatre, and musicals, exploring how movement can deepen character, enrich storytelling, and shape each production’s unique theatrical language.
Penelope Randall Davis: Vocal consultant
A specialist in the dramatic coloratura repertoire, Penelope has appeared as the Queen of the Night with Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma, Opera La Fenice, New Zealand Opera, Opera Atelier and Tafelmusik in Toronto. In the U.K appearances include those with Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Opera and Opera North. Penelope appeared as Alcina at London’s Arcola Theatre in the inaugural performances by Barefoot Opera of Peter Foggitt’s contemporary realization of Handel’s piece. She continues to teach privately and in collaboration with Barefoot Opera.
