Laughing at Death - Don Giovanni

What's next after Marriage of Figaro for Mozart and Da Ponte? Don Giovanni is a total contrast - a dark comedy with an evil antihero, dragged from an old Spanish legend into Enlightenment morality. Ah, but a sort of happy ending.

Don Juan and all those women

The original version of the story of Don Juan appears in the 1630 play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest) by Tirso de Molina. The play includes most of the elements found and later adapted in subsequent works, including the setting (Seville), the characters (Don Juan, his servant, his love interest, and her father, whom he kills), moralistic themes (honor, violence and seduction, vice and retribution), and the dramatic ending in which Don Juan dines with and is then dragged down to hell by the stone statue of the father he had previously slain. Lots more on Wiki.

The legend of Don Juan was developed in many different ways in literature and yes, opera, before Da Ponte and Mozart came to it. But clearly they made something far more complex of the character and his story, so new that directors and audiences are tossed between seeing this as a comedy and recognising its focus on dark wrongs, death and punishment. Neither the basic plot of the old legend nor the simplicity of the characters remain in Mozart's opera - these people are all devious and complicated, as is the downfall of the antihero. And possibly most important to the drama, the libretto and the music develop the victims of our antihero into fully complex characters in complicated relationships.

Take 5mins to listen to a splendid discussion here by participants in ROH's production a decade ago.

It's the only Mozart work (or any work of the time) that starts an opera buffa with the theme of death, in the first chords of the overture, and the first scenes. Listen here to Vladimir Juroski, Glyndebourne's then conductor, who draws comparisons with Shakespeare's ability to create complex characters that are neither entirely good nor entirely bad, and to dot their stories with humour, melding tragedy and comedy. Not that Giovanni is ever portrayed as nearly all good - but he is fascinating in his capacity of living the moment, in his absolute rejection of reflection.

And not that there is no tragedy in his brutal ending (one of an opera directors' most challenging portrayals of descent to hell). But the libretto of the final scene makes it clear there is serious comedy in Death, with Giovanni's crass final attempts to dismiss the tragic Elvira, and Leporello's frantic efforts to rescue his master and persuade the Commandatore to clear out.

And the Enlightenment? There are strong new threads here, not in the original legend. As in Figaro, and subsequent Mozart operas - the drama is sharpened by perception of class differences, fascination with strong women (and weak, usually wealthy ones) and stern treatment of misuse of power.

Libretto and Synopsis

You can read Da Ponte's libretto in English here.

The various synopsis sites make interesting reading

Some, like the Met's, basically give the old legend.

And here's Christopher Purves' version of his character... backed by Richard Jones, producing for ENO.

Wiki's version, however, hints at the complexity of the characters and motives.

Our production

What a cast! Top from left are Ann Murray (Donna Elvira), Edita Gruberova (Donna Anna), Claudio Desderi (Leporello); Susanne Mentzer (Zerlina) ; Bottom: Thomas Allen (Don Giovanni at the final scene); and Francisco Araiza as Don Ottavio.

On the balcony - Giovanni and Donna Anna make their entrance in the La Scala performance.

Amongst our many options, we've chosen to start with the most traditional performance. In a vaguely aristocratic set, Don Giovanni is sung by British baritone Thomas Allen at La Scala, in 1987, conducted by Riccardo Muti. It's worth watching Muti at arrogant best, and La Scala does Mozart splendidly under his baton.

The cast has fine singers, if the production is unexciting. Allen is no young blade, (though he is in black leather) but the voice is marvellous and the character he creates is complex - charismatic and psychologically magnetic. Review here.

The splendid performances are by the women, two extraordinary actresses with amazing voices. Edita Gruberova is Donna Anna and Ann Murray just is Donna Elvira.  Their dominance fits with the twist Da Ponte and Mozart have given the legend - it's become about these women. Susanne Mentzer complements them with a sweet, pliant peasant performance as Zerlina.

Full opera online?

Pick of the crop of online full operas is this production, from Festival of Aix–en–Provence, in France, 2017. Radical setting and costuming meets traditional character creation. Or non-costuming: yes, the pic at the start of this blog shows Sly's stripped Giovanni in the last descent to hell.

Don Giovanni is played by Philippe Sly, and Donna Elvira (on his left) by Isabel LEONARD, at the bizarre wedding scene. On his right is Eleanora Buratto (Donna Anna).

Bachtrack was there! – and gave it a rave review.

"The staging presents some quite radical features – very interesting and thought–provoking, by the way – concerning mainly the personality of Don Giovanni himself. A little bit too devilish, perhaps. But the singing is quite classical – and excellent.... Thrilling when opera singers are also good actors."

Philippe Sly, a Canadian lyric singer bass baritone, was the 2012 winner of the Young Soloist Prize. Click here for a glimpse into his approaches to the roles.

And here he sings Leporello’s Catalogue aria!

But he's a concert baritone of great power and sweetness - listen here to The Trumpet shall sound from Messiah, 2015.

There are many other full Giovanni productions online but not with subtitles. Here's the link to the famous performance of Opera Aust with a fabulous cast and Teddy Tahu Rhodes - full opera but no subtitles.  Staged in 2011 it stars Rachelle Durkin - Donna Anna, Daniel Sumegi - The Commendatore, Andrew Jones - Masetto, Taryn Fiebig as an exquisitely cynical Zerlina, Henry Choo - Don Ottavio, Jacqueline Dark - Donna Elvira, Conal Coad - Leporello

Here’s the champagne aria - poor Leporello dealing with Teddy's discarding of a lot of black leather.

Lyn, 15/10/25