Don Giovanni

Review

Oliver Alexandre has made his first stab at opera with Mozart's dramatic comedy – a brave choice given the piece's reputation as a director's graveyard. Despite its watertight position in the repertoire, Don Giovanni has inbuilt contradictions. Supposedly a comic opera, it begins with sexual violence and ends in divine retribution, while some of its main characters never depart from their explicitly serious mode even in scenes motivated by farce. Whether Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte got its structure right is debatable and Alexandre and conductor Orlando Jopling of the ECO recognize this, indulging in some but not all of the prudent cuts together with the director’s extraordinary concept of allowing the singers to wander into the audience, an idea which might have fallen flat on its face but didn’t. Indeed, at times it might have been used to greater effect - Don Giovanni’s charming looks and outstanding baritone voice, up close to young ladies in the audience during Finch’han dal vino, could have thrilled them to bits.

Read the full review >>

SYNOPSIS

Act 1 Don Giovanni has had his way with Donna Anna, entering her bedroom, when she mistook him for her betrothed, Don Ottavio. Leporello, outside, complains of his life as a servant. Donna Anna pursues Don Giovanni and is joined by her father, who dies as he and Giovanni fight. Don Ottavio joins her in vowing revenge against the unknown assailant, while Don Giovanni and Leporello make their escape.
Read More>>

What do people think?

Don Giovanni is one of my favourite operas and certainly my favourite Mozart opera, so yes, let me know when your brilliant plan comes into fruition!
- Robert Millner, tenor

What is I hope a new way of staging the opera – in and out of the audience, on and off the stage. Brilliant idea!..and one that will work very well in a hotel ballroom.
- Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic