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As the Maryland Opera Studio's cast of Così Fan Tutte runs through a brush-up rehearsal just hours before its Wednesday night performance, the elaborate sets, costumes and makeup are all missing.

But it hardly matters; with the snap of a finger, the singers transform from the relaxed, laughing second-year graduate students they are to their Italian-speaking alter-egos, belting out Mozart's gracefully crafted diction with undeniable authority.

From April 18 to 27, the school of music presented Mozart's famed opera six times at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's Kay Theatre. Performed under the direction of Leon Major and the conduction of David Angus, Così Fan Tutte - which translates to "women are like that" in English - is a timeless story about the value of women's virtue that, as Major notes in the program, is an "opera of wit, humor, wisdom and glorious music." Originally set in the 18th century, the story was relocated by Major to the summer of 1913, so as to place the story on the eve of World War I.

"At that point, the world lost all of its innocence," Major said. "The World War came, innocence was gone and the world lost its virginity. And that's what happens in this opera - it's these girls on a summer holiday and it's romance, and suddenly the summer is over and they have to face the consequences of what they've done."

Regularly going through four-hour rehearsals, being coached on Italian diction and doing everything else it takes to completely encompass a role on stage for three hours is certainly a rigorous agenda - but for the Opera Studio's cast, it was all in a day's work. In order to divide the burden and help more students fulfill degree requirements, most parts were double-cast, a dynamic which ensured each performance was unique in its own way, Major said.

"I'm very insistent that they don't imitate each other," Major said. "The two different casts have chemistry between them that is totally different and equally wonderful."

For the principal cast members of Così Fan Tutte, the production served as their thesis and consequently marked the culmination of two years of graduate study. The opportunity was set up by the faculty to help the students become comfortable with what it's like to take on a major role in the professional world, and Così Fan Tutte was specifically picked because the piece played to the vocal strengths of the students, assistant director Laura Lee Everett said.

When it came to his production of Così Fan Tutte, it turned out that the Italian dialect was not the only element that brought an international flair to the performance. The demographics of the cast and crew spanned several different countries, including Canada, England, Germany, Russia, China and South Korea.

"To have that range in the diversity of the students that come to Maryland and audition to come to school here, it speaks to the caliber and the quality of the programs we have at the school as a whole," Everett said. "It's nice when you have perspective from people who have lived in other countries, especially when you have a piece that is set in another country."

Though the degree earned will be a physical representation of their work, the singers will also take away valuable experience that should help them in their careers for years to come.

"Getting a role learned and performed that you will do again and again in your career is really helpful," said Andrew Adelsberger, who played Don Alfonso in the performance. "The production value here is really high, and it's at such a level where the costumes are great, the sets are great, the direction is spot-on fantastic and with a great conductor and orchestra - that's all rewarding."

Jenna Lebherz, who played Dorabella in three of the performances, said she agreed with Adelsberger, but also pointed out another positive aspect of the experience.

"You really learn how to get along with your colleagues in all different aspects," she said. "I think the best part is that it's really like a family with the eight of us."

tfloyd1@umd.edu

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