Don Giovanni

Synopsis

Written shortly after The Marriage of Figaro. Based on the famous legend of Don Juan the master seducer from whom no woman can be considered safe. Don Giovanni pursues, seduces, rapes and murders and in the climax is pulled to hell by a stone statue of one of his victims come to life - he remains unrepentant. His servant Leporello witnesses all his masters wrongs. There is also a rarely performed opera of the same name (and story) by Giuseppe Gazzaniga which was first performed in 1786, eight months before Mozart's version.

Our Review:

Simon Collison - 29 November 2011

Welsh National Opera’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni comes to Southampton as part of their national tour, and this production is in the usual grand style familiar to followers of WNO.

Don Giovanni is not a very likeable character - having seduced over two thousand women - all neatly catalogued by his faithful servant Leporello. The story begins with Don Giovanni attempting to rape the comely Donna Anna, and killing her father, the Commendatore, whilst making his escape. He later tries to seduce Zerlina - a peasant girl on the very day of her wedding to Masetto, whilst avoiding the jealous gaze of the slighted Donna Elvira. He even swaps clothes and identities with his servant Leporello, so he can seduce Elvira’s maid! It is no surprise then, that there is a collective desire to end Don Giovanni’s philandering ways, and the story moves inevitably towards his deserved downfall.

With a plot like that you know that you are in for an even...

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