Phelim mcdermott cosi fan tutte arias

Phelim McDermott’s Coney Island–inspired reimagining of Così fan tutte, onstage through April 19, sets Mozart’s comedy amid the spectacle of the side show.

As they prepared to bring the new production to the stage, McDermott and the opera’s celebrated conductor, David Robertson, joined Tony Award–winner Kelli O’Hara and baritone Christopher Maltman—two of the show’s stars—for a conversation with Met General Manager Peter Gelb.

PETER GELB: Phelim, how did your arrive at your vision for Così fan tutte?

PHELIM MCDERMOTT: Well, my designers and I thought that if we set the piece in the beautiful, romantic world of Coney Island, where the rules and realities are not quite thesame, then the audience could more easily buy into the main conceit of the opera, that these guys dress up as other people—in ourcase as rough, slightly scary, slightly sexy fairground workers—and convince their fiancées that they’re two different men.

DAVID ROBERTSON: That’s