Opera San José is opening its 2025–26 season with Così fan tutte, and they’re doing more than just staging Mozart’s comedy—they’re inviting the audience to help shape the ending. In partnership with Cloud4Wi, an enterprise Wi-Fi platform, the company is letting audience members vote during intermission—via mobile or lobby kiosks—on which lovers end up together. It’s an approach that blends tradition with interactivity, and it’s an example of innovation that nods to the art form while working to engage new audiences.
This kind of experimentation feels especially timely. According to Opera America, opera companies across the U.S. are facing mounting challenges: declining attendance, an aging donor base, and shifting patterns in philanthropic support. In response, many are exploring new business models and audience engagement strategies. The goal isn’t just survival—it’s relevance, revitalization, and competition for donor dollars and ticket sales.
But how far should innovation go?
A colleague of mine, who spent a decade performing in Europe, offered a candid take:
“It’s interesting that there’s no mention of European opera, where audience numbers haven’t dropped—even though they’re also receiving less funding. I’m not sure just clothing the same old operas in something ‘new’ is going to do it. There seems to be such a lack of interest and respect in all things cultural in this country. Performances are now measured in their entertainment value, not artistic value.”
His words made an impression on me. In Europe, opera is widely regarded as a public good, and supported by cultural policy and government funding, though not without its own struggles. A structure supported by cultural policy and government funding allows companies to prioritize artistic integrity over market appeal. In the U.S., where private donations, sponsorships, and ticket sales drive programming decisions, companies often face pressure to deliver spectacle, accessibility, and novelty.
Which brings me to Fiddler on the Roof.
Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival included Fiddler alongside Rigoletto, Tosca, and a number of Studio Sessions. The production was beautifully staged—complete with a violinist on the actual roof of Music Hall playing to audience members as they entered the venue. Fiddler was a powerful performance, and I appreciated the care and craft behind it. But as a subscriber, I felt a quiet disconnect. I came expecting opera’s distinct aesthetic and emotional depth. If I’d wanted a contemporary musical, I would’ve chosen a different subscription at a different venue.
This isn’t a critique of Fiddler—which is a masterwork in its own right—but a reflection on programming identity. What defines an opera company’s artistic mission? How do we balance tradition and innovation without losing clarity?
Opera San José’s Così approach may offer one answer: reinterpretation paired with audience agency. It seems an effort to stay rooted while reaching forward. I’m very interested in how it works for them and how it’s received by the audience.
As the opera world continues to evolve, let’s celebrate its unique art form and prioritize its culture. In the United States, I hope we can hold space for both experimentation and depth. Spectacle has its place. But so does substance.
*****
From the IPA Source database, our collection of arias from Cosi fan tutte, with libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte and as set by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart :
- Ah, guarda, sorella by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Ah, lo veggio, quell’anima bella by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Come scoglio immoto resta by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Donne mie la fate a tanti by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- È amore un ladroncello by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Fra gli amplessi by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- In uomini, in soldati by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Nel mare solca by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Non siate ritrosi by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Per pietà, ben mio by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Prenderò quel brunettino by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Smanie implacabili by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Soave sia il vento by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Tradito, schernito by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Tutti accusan le donne by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Un’aura amorosa by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Una donna a quindici anni by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
- Vorrei dir, e cor non ho by Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus