Sir David McVicar’s quaint production of Mozart and Da Ponte’s Così fan tutte, which originally premiered in 2016, returns to the Sydney Opera House with some thrilling house debuts.

Rehearsed by Revival Director Andy Morton, it has lost none of its charm – the slapstick, wildly anachronistic mannerisms and nods to polyamory elevating Da Ponte’s absurd libretto. If you like Bridgerton, you’ll love this!

Nathan Lay, Nardus Williams, Helen Sherman, Filipe Manu and cast in Opera Australia’s Così fan tutte. Photo © Keith Saunders.

Moritz Junge’s unit set is filled with enough surprises to keep the audience more than satisfied, from the scarlet opulence of the gentlemen’s club in the opening scene to the breathtaking pleasure garden set against the glittering Bay of Naples.

However, the clear blue sky belies the clouds on the horizon. War beckons, and Junge’s idyllic setting shows signs of patina and decay that suggest a society in decline.

It’s populated by characters whose dress-up games have them darting about the stage and falling over each other like animated Dresden porcelain figurines.

It’s all very pretty, but there’s a world-weariness about them. The solution? A gamble.

Da Ponte adopts well-worn tropes –...