Cos fan tutte wasnt popular with Mozarts contemporaries who dismissed it as clumsy and miserable and as such was largely ignored.

Despite being premiered in 1790, Cos fan tutte didnt become popular until the middle of the 20th century, but is still dogged with accusations of misogyny.

More commonly shorted to Cosi fan tutte, which can be loosely translated as theyre (women) all like that.

Unbeknown to Dorabella and Fiordiligi, the men will return in disguise to try and seduce each others fiance.

A scene from Mozarts Cosi Fan Tutte during the Salzburg Festival, 2009.

The women, accompanied by Alfonso, wave the men off as they set sail to war with Soave sia il ventoMay the wind be gentle.

Despite their tears, Alfonso still firmly believes the women will be unfaithful.

Bo Skovhus as Don Alfonso, Miah Persson as Fiordiligi and Topi Lehtipuu in the role of Ferrando, Isabel Leonard as Dorabella, and Florian Boesch as Guglielmo in the Adam Fischer directed performance at the Salzburg Festival, 2009.

She scoffs at Dorabellas heartbroken reply, telling the sisters to take new lovers while their fiancs are away.

Mezzosoprano Janja Vuletic as playing Dorabella performs during the rehearsal of Cosi fan tutte directed by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostam, Aix-en-Provence 2008.

Ferrando and Guglielmo arent disheartened and continue to try and woe the women.

But the women are determined to stay true to their men and the mens plan looks doomed, even with Despinas, who is in on it, rather dramatic intervention.

Dorabella gives Guglielmo a medallion with her fianc Ferrandos picture in it in exchange for a heart-shaped locket.

Sophie Koch in the role of Dorabella and Stephane Degout as Guglielmo perform during a dress rehearsal as part of the Salzburg Festival, 2006.

Guglielmo is rather chuffed and gloats at his fiancs faithfulness.

Miah Persson in the role of Fiordiligi, foreground, and Florian Boesch as Guglielmo perform as part of the Salzburg Festival, 2009.

The Albanians run off to hide as Ferrando and Guglielmo now changed out of their disguises walk in.

Pictured:Ana Maria Marinez in the role of Fiordiligi, Shawn Mathey as Ferrando, Thomas Allen as Don Alfonso, Sophie Koch as Dorabella, Helen Donath as Despina and Stephane Degout as Guglielmo at the Salzburg Festival, 2006.

Ferrando and Guglielmo leave only to return wearing their Albanian costumes with their officers uniforms.

The sisters finally realise they have been fooled.

Tenor Finnur Bjarnason (playing Ferrando), soprano Sofia Soloviy (Fiordiligi), soprano Judith van Wanroij (Despina), baritone William Shimell (Alfonso), mezzosopano Janja Vuletic (Dorabella) and baritone Edwin Crossley-Mercer (Guglielmo) perform at the Aix-en-Provence international lyric arts festival, 2008.

Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte Synopsis