Don Giovanni, Opera by W. A. Mozart
A dramma giocoso Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote in a two-act format, Don Giovanni is a retelling of a much older Spanish legend about a morally questionable individual. This staging is part of the annual Caracalla Festival in Rome and is performed at the Basilica di Massenzio, once the largest structure within the ancient Roman Forum. Mozart collaborated with Lorenzo Da Ponte to come up with Don Giovanni's Italian libretto, the man who was also the composer's librettist for The Marriage of Figaro. The Estates Theatre in Prague hosted the premiere of the opera on 29 October 1787.
Don Giovanni is based on the figure of Don Juan, a libertine whose primary interest appears to be seduction. The story had been dramatised before by Tirso de Molina in his play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra which was first produced in 1630. Mozart's operatic version seamlessly blends comedic elements with dramatic ones and even includes some supernatural storytelling. The great maestro originally intended Don Giovanni to be a less formal opera buffa. However, the opera's second act gradually becomes darker with a greater dramatic tension than Mozart's previous operatic compositions had shown. Audiences were left stunned by the opera's hard-hitting final scene which Mozart scored largely in D minor to underline its powerful emotions.
A composer who was masterful when it came to musical contrast, Don Giovanni does not lack any of the playfulness and musical invention that Mozart is known for. Da Ponte was working on other projects at the time of the opera's composition, so Mozart produced some of the story himself and introduced some humour into his score. Despite these flourishes, Don Giovanni includes some horrific moments, notably when the ghost of the Commendatore comes to life in the form of a granite statue. The ghost announces he intends to drag the lead character to hell as a final judgement against his numerous transgressions. Mozart's meaning is clear: at some point, wrongdoing will catch up with everyone but how does this play out in the final scenes?
A thoroughly enjoyable opera, Don Giovanni's themes have been thrilling audiences around the globe for centuries. Whether or not the warnings it offers have been heeded by those who have seen it is, of course, another matter entirely. This production for the Caracalla Festival provides a chance to witness the opera in a truly amazing setting with a great cast and orchestra.