Mozart's classic opera comes to Taiwan, with conductor Lin Chih-chun noting the title reflects human nature.

Marking the 270th anniversary of the birth of classical music master Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Taiwan's arts and cultural sector has welcomed a highly anticipated opera event. The National Taichung Theater recently grandly launched its annual flagship production, selecting "Così fan tutte," the classic opera buffa masterpiece resulting from the collaboration between Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. Not only is this work one of the peaks in Mozart's operatic career, but it has also been passed down through generations for its profound insight into human nature and exquisite musical structure. For this performance, Taiwanese conductor Lin Chinchao, who has been shining brightly in the European music scene, was specially invited to take on the heavy responsibility of leading the orchestra and vocalists in interpreting this classic. During rehearsals and interviews, Lin shared his unique insights into the work, sparking deep discussions across various circles regarding love and the essence of human nature.

When speaking about the core meaning of the opera, conductor Lin put forward a subversive view regarding its Chinese translated title. He stated bluntly that the Chinese translation of this classic opera should actually drop the character for "women" and be changed to "So Are All People" or "Thus Do All People" to be more appropriate. Lin further explained that although the plot in the play is set around two young couples and explores the test of loyalty and love, such trials have never been unilaterally directed at women. When love is subjected to reality and deliberately arranged tests, both the male and female characters in the play reveal the vulnerable, hesitant, and wavering sides of human nature. Therefore, what this work aims to reveal is not the moral flaws of a specific gender, but rather the universal psychological reactions of all humanity when facing emotional temptation.

Reviewing the historical context of the work, the full Italian title of "Così fan tutte" carries the implication that "all women are like that," and it has long been viewed as a work bearing gender stereotypes. However, when Mozart and da Ponte created this work at the end of the 18th century, their genius lay in stripping away the hypocritical masks of morality and love in society at that time through the guise of comedy. In the play, two male protagonists make a wager with a philosopher out of confidence, subjecting their respective girlfriends to a trial, only to not expect that both heroines would eventually waver under prolonged psychological tug-of-war and emotional advances. This plot development appeared quite avant-garde against the social background of that era; it did not give a black-and-white moral judgment, but instead fully exposed the complexity and subtlety of human nature.

Lin's acceptance of the baton for the National Taichung Theater's annual flagship production is supported by his solid experience in European opera houses. In recent years, many outstanding Taiwanese conductors and musicians have emerged on the international stage, and Lin is one of the most notable representatives among them. He has long served in conducting positions at major European theaters and orchestras, accumulating deep experience in opera rehearsal and performance, and his grasp of Mozart's musical grammar is precise and in place. Mozart's music may seem brisk, elegant, and fluid, but accurately capturing the sorrow and irony hidden beneath the surface of joy within the orchestration is a major test of a conductor's prowess. Through his profound analysis of the score, Lin successfully led the performance team to strike a perfect balance between the absurdity of comedy and the authenticity of emotion.

In recent years, the National Taichung Theater has continuously launched self-produced flagship operas, not only striving to introduce production standards of international caliber, but also actively providing a high-specification platform for local Taiwanese musicians to showcase their talents. This production of "Così fan tutte" has demonstrated the high-level production capabilities of the domestic theater scene, ranging from stage aesthetics and directorial conception to the casting of vocalists and orchestral arrangement. Through Lin's baton, this classic work from over two hundred years ago has been endowed with a contemporary perspective. It is no longer merely an ancient court comedy, but a mirror reflecting the emotional world of modern people, reminding every audience member who steps into the theater that the trials of love transcend the boundaries of time and gender, and before the storms of emotion, anyone may become lost.