Mozart and Da Ponte took as a theme "fianceé swapping" which dates back to the 13th century, with notable earlier versions being those of Boccaccio's Decameron and Shakespeare's play Cymbeline. It also incorporates elements of the myth of Procris as found in Ovid.
The plot did not offend Viennese sensibilities of the time, but throughtout the 19th and early 20th centuries it was considered risqué. As such, Così fell out of the operatic repertoire for many years, and when it did appear at all it was presented in one of several Bowdlerized versions. After World War II, it regained its place in the standard operatic repertoire.
There are a many recordings of Così, and it is frequently performed.
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