Cosi Fan Tutte – Film by Jesusa Rodriguez, 1997 (Part 1: Opera as Telenovela)

In the category of so bad it's good (or so bad it's bad?*), this is a Mexican film of Cosi fan tutte made in the 1990s. Ah guarda sorella first caught my attention, and I found a few other clips. The singing is not amazing and it's lip-synched, though I believe the actors are the the singers. I do like the fact that they approached it with a modern, Mexican vacation resort version of Naples. I also like the resolution at the end of Act 2. 
This is another interesting take on a timeless Mozart classic. I think it’s hysterical!

The director, Jesusa Rodríguez (at right) is also responsible for Donna Giovanni, an all-female version of Mozart's opera. Ms. Rodríguez is director, actress, playwright, performance artist, scenographer, entrepreneur, and social activist, who once said, "When I was a child they told me I was autistic and I understood artistic, that’s why I dedicated myself to this."

So, back to Cosi fan tutte. In the first clip, the sisters swoon over their men, (while "water skiing"!!) then (with a jarring cut, I wish the poster had left that next section in) they bid farewell to their boys. 

In this clip, we see the boys singing their opening trios while gambling and boasting and making their initial bet. 

The singers are Stefano de Peppo, Susana Zabaleta, Ricardo Bernal, Armando Mora, Regina Orozco, and Yvonne Garza, and the film was directed by Jesusa Rodriguez in  Mexico, 1995.


Read Part 2

*Actually now that I know a bit more about the director, I would say it's satire, and intentionally cheesy.