Così fan tutte is a 178-minute studio album of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera, performed by Jules Bastin, Philippe Huttenlocher, Kiri Te Kanawa, David Rendall, Frederica von Stade and Teresa Stratas with the Choeurs de l'Opéra du Rhin and the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Alain Lombard.

[2] The cover of the first CD version of the album, designed by Mister Brown, features a detail of J. Pillement's painting "Les jardins de Benfica" (1785), a work in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.

Comparing it with rival recordings conducted by Herbert von Karajan and Karl Böhm, he acknowledged that these classic readings offered singing of a "subtlety and poise" that Alain Lombard's version could not equal.

On the other hand, the new album's students at Don Alfonso's school for lovers came to their classroom with "youthful timbre[s] and natural high spirits" that were nicely appropriate to their roles.

Frederica von Stade's Dorabella was "hardly less distinguished, with ample, broad phrasing, much well shaped detail in 'Smanie implacibili' and a graceful and spirited account of 'E' amore un ladroncello'."

Philippe Huttenlocher gave a "very polished performance" as Guglielmo, acting the part convincingly, using his words intelligently and bringing a laudable legato to "Non siate ritrosi".

Kiri Te Kanawa sang Fiordiligi with an acute sensitivity to her music's meaning, her voice "at its most beautiful, warm and well-rounded".

As Dorabella, Frederica von Stade was Te Kanawa's perfect foil, her timbre complementing the soprano's so well that their voices blended in their duets in a way that could hardly be bettered.

Like Sadie and Steane, he singled out Kiri Te Kanawa for especial praise, lauding her "abundant musicality and tone of creamy richness throughout most of the range".

All things considered, though, Lombard's Così fan tutte could not really compete with alternative recordings conducted by Karl Böhm, Erich Leinsdorf or Georg Solti.