In truth, nothing could prepare me for the life-altering experience of being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. From the moment I asked my family doctor to examine me because something “seemed off,” I knew the news was bad.

Right from its premiere in 1790, Mozart’s Così fan tutte has proven to be a vexing one for operagoers.

First sparking criticism for its scandalous immorality, now interrogated for the way it paints its female leads, the opera continues to be a springboard for conversation. With the piece making a high-profile return to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts this winter, we wanted to dig deeper with musicologist Margaret Cormier to get her take on some of the more intriguing – and perennially problematic – aspects of the opera.