from Act I, Scene III of the Italian opera
Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte
Role: Despina, the serving maid of Dorabella and Fiordiligi
Voice Part: soprano Fach: soubrette
Setting: the living room of Dorabella and Fiordiligi's house
Synopsis: After Dorabella declares that she cannot live while Ferrando is gone because of her grief, Despina tells her mistresses that one cannot expect men, especially soldiers, to be faithful. She goes on to describe men as creatures that use women for pleasure and can change at any moment. Despina states that, therefore, women should only be faithful to their own self.