On Saturday 22nd October 2016, I went to see a
relayed production of Don Giovanni from the Metropolitan Opera House at the
Lincoln Centre New York, having previously seen a relay from the Royal Opera
House, in London in February 2014, shortly after I had written to Secretary of
State for Education, Northumbria Police and Sunderland Council that I had
become aware of moves to hold a comprehensive inquiry into past crimes against
children in care and giving my views on what was needed.
I published the following notes on the experience beginning
not knowing much about the opera by Mozart which I had experienced for the
first time by relay to the Cineworld, Bolden on a cold and windy evening and
where on I arrival we were told that strong winds were affecting the world-wide relay and that
interruptions could be anticipation. During the first half of the opera there
were three breaks, fortunately of no longer than 3 mins and a loss of the
subtitles in two instances. The management rallied providing little cups of
chocolate during the intervals was not hot and I did not enjoy but then issues
a free pass in compensation for another event of similar cost which was
splendid.
The opera is extraordinary with eight principal roles and
in true Mozart style there are several instances where almost everyone is
involved in groups, in couples in quick succession so while there is no great
aria compared to Puccini, Verdi one sits marveling and at times overwhelmed.
For once at least six of the singers had the physique and were of an age to
reflect the roles they were playing and the other two were passable., The set
was also one of the most extraordinary if not the most extraordinary and creative
then experienced. A mansion on several floors which revolves close to the front
of the stage and upon which there were constant projections throughout
successfully reflecting the mind of Don Giovanni based on the legend of Don
Juan supposed taking to his bed, so to speak over 2000 women of all ages and
descriptions during his short life before he is left in the hell of isolation.
The set at the Metropolitan Opera was similar in terms of
the three-level building, but darker and with the imaginative projects. In the
past, I have said that I thought the Met always looked for ways of providing a
spectacle where greater confines of the Royal Opera House meant less special
effects with consequently attention focused on the singing and actor, although
the comment was intended to suggest the acting and singing was any less but that
there were distractions the Royal Opera House.
The information about Don Giovanni is projected on to the
building. Don Juan is a mythical figure but Casanova is not and I own a small
biography by Bonomy Dobree a which attempt to separate myth from the reality of
what is actual known from his writing and other contemporary documentation. The
book is part of a Men of Destiny series and is mentioned because of the
extraordinary speech made by the singer who plays Don Giovanni, Simon
Keenlyside, who appeared to be making a calculated and planned case for the kind
of sexual freedom Libiteranism which would have horrified what is known as
Middle America and the bible belt. The interviewer appeared surprised by this
outburst where usually there is references to the role, forthcoming roles, the
excellences of working colleagues, the Director of the work and its conductor.
Simon appeared to me to be making an attack on the new puritanism and,
reminding of revolutionary freedoms which at one level sound a plea for
sympathy for this ruthless, rapist and seducer without any regard of the impact
of his behaviour on the subsequent lives of his victims, especially those from
the peasant class who lack any of the protection and support given to those of
his peers.
Bryn Terfil, the Welsh baritone provided the oral
introduction to the two acts of the opera of 95 and 85 minutes while the
programme notes to the performance at the Royal Opera House in 2014 while the
Met notes provide a summary. Seville, Spain, in 1700’s and the father of the
first heroine Donna Anna is describe as the Commendatore, an Italian Order of
chivalry but used here I believe someone of senior nobility and therefore the rape/seduction
of his daughter by a masked stranger becomes such a matter of honour that he feels
obliged to fight the young man and is killed, Donna Elvira has a fiancé who she
presses to avenge her father. Another of
his conquest Donna Elvira who remains in love has followed him to Seville.
The community celebrate the wedding of two peasants with
Don Giovanni on the lookout for new conquests attends and his trusted
manservant. Donna Anna who also attend and has befriended Elvira recognizes the
voice and presses her fiancé to gain revenge. Don Giovanni focusses on the
seduction of the bride inviting the wedding party to his Palatial home. The
attempt to seduce the bride fails and the attack is blamed on his servant after
clothing been the two men has been swapped. The two women and the fiancé attend
the Palace wearing masks to confront Don Giovanni who retreats leaving his man
servant behind.
This does not prevent Don Giovanni turning the head of
the maid of Donna Elvira, the fiancée and young married couple finding the man
servant alone and turning on him until he admits the truth about his master. He
too escapes and meets up with Don Giovanni where they come across the statue of
the Commendatore. As a joke the statue is invited to Palace for a meal. In the
Met production, the meal is presented as a bawdy party combining food and sex, (cannot
immediately remember the name of the film the film about this subject which I
suspect influence the scene setting. The ghost of the murdered man arrives and
gives Don Giovanni ad invitation which is refused and the womanizer is consumed
by the eternal fires of health as his future form of immortality., one aspect
of the film Dr Strange I was to see a few days later. The victims and their
menfolk rejoice. Donna asks for more time before marriage. The impact of Don Giovanni
continues to affect their lives.
Wikipedia
provides the titles of the arias, duets and combinations of voice, “Don
Giovanni's servant, complains of his lot ("Notte e giorno faticar" –
"Night and day I slave away"). He is keeping watch while Don Giovanni
rapes or seduces the Commendatore's daughter, Donna Anna. When the two appear,
Giovanni is masked and Donna Anna is holding onto his arm. Something has
happened and she insists on knowing his identity (Trio: "Non sperar, se
non m'uccidi, Ch'io ti lasci fuggir mai!" – "Do not hope, unless you
kill me, that I shall ever let you run away!"); before he can break free
from her grasp she cries for help. The Commendatore appears and forces Giovanni
to fight a duel. Donna Anna flees into the house. Giovanni kills the
Commendatore with his sword and escapes with Leporello. Anna, returning with
her fiancé, Don Ottavio, is horrified to see her father lying dead in a pool of
his own blood. She makes Ottavio swear vengeance against the unknown murderer.
(Duet: "Ah, vendicar, se il puoi, giura quel sangue ognor!" –
"Ah, swear to avenge that blood if you can!").
Scene
2 – A public square outside Don Giovanni's palace
Giovanni
and Leporello arrive and hear a woman (Donna Elvira) singing of having been
abandoned by her lover, on whom she is seeking to wreak her revenge ("Ah,
chi mi dice mai" – "Ah, who could ever tell me"). Giovanni
starts to flirt with her, but he is the wretch she is seeking. He shoves
Leporello forward, ordering him to tell Elvira the truth, and then hurries
away.
Leporello tells Elvira that Don Giovanni is
not worth it. His conquests include 640 in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in
France, 91 in Turkey, but in Spain, 1,003 ("Madamina, il catalogo è questo"
– "My dear lady, this is the catalogue"). In a frequently cut
recitative, Elvira vows vengeance.
They
leave, and a marriage procession with Masetto and Zerlina enters. Don Giovanni
and Leporello arrive soon after. Giovanni is immediately attracted to Zerlina,
and he attempts to remove the jealous Masetto by offering to host a wedding
celebration at his castle. On realizing that Giovanni means to remain behind
with Zerlina, Masetto becomes angry ("Ho capito! Signor, sì" –
"I understand! Yes, my lord!"). Don Giovanni and Zerlina are soon
alone and he immediately begins his seductive arts (Duet: "Là ci darem la
mano" – "There we will entwine our hands").
Elvira
arrives and thwarts the seduction ("Ah, fuggi il traditor" –
"Flee from the traitor!"). She leaves with Zerlina. Ottavio and Anna
enter, plotting vengeance on the still unknown murderer of Anna's father. Anna,
unaware that she is speaking to the attacker, pleads for Giovanni's help.
Giovanni, relieved that he is unrecognised, readily promises it, and asks who
has disturbed her peace. Before she can answer, Elvira returns and tells Anna
and Ottavio that Giovanni is a false-hearted seducer. Giovanni tries to
convince Ottavio and Anna that Elvira is insane (Quartet: "Non ti fidar, o
misera" – "Don't trust him, oh sad one"). As Giovanni leaves,
Anna suddenly recognizes him as her father's murderer (Anna aria: "Or sai
chi l'onore Rapire a me volse" – "Now you know who wanted to rob me
of my honour"). Ottavio, not convinced, resolves to keep an eye on his
friend ("Dalla sua pace la mia dipende" – "On her peace my peace
depends").
Leporello
informs Giovanni that all the guests of the peasant wedding are in Giovanni's
house and that he distracted Masetto from his jealousy, but that Zerlina,
returning with Elvira, made a scene and spoiled everything. However, Don
Giovanni remains cheerful and tells Leporello to organize a party and invite
every girl he can find. (Giovanni's "Champagne Aria": "Fin
ch'han dal vino calda la testa" – "Till they are tipsy"). They
hasten to his palace.
Zerlina
follows the jealous Masetto and tries to pacify him ("Batti, batti o bel
Masetto" – "Beat, O beat me, handsome Masetto"), but just as she
manages to persuade him of her innocence, Don Giovanni's voice from offstage
startles and frightens her. Masetto hides, resolving to see for himself what
Zerlina will do when Giovanni arrives. Zerlina tries to hide from Don Giovanni,
but he finds her and attempts to continue the seduction, until he stumbles upon
Masetto's hiding place. Confused but quickly recovering, Giovanni reproaches
Masetto for leaving Zerlina alone, and returns her temporarily to him. Giovanni
then leads both to his ballroom, which has been lavishly decorated. Leporello
invites three masked guests to the party: the disguised Ottavio, Anna, and
Elvira. Ottavio and Anna pray for protection, Elvira for vengeance (Trio:
"Protegga il giusto cielo" – "May the just heavens protect
us").
Scene
3 – Finale: Ballroom As the merriment, featuring two separate chamber
orchestras on stage, proceeds, Leporello distracts Masetto by dancing with him,
while Don Giovanni leads Zerlina offstage to a private room. When Zerlina
screams for help, Don Giovanni tries to fool the onlookers by dragging
Leporello into the room and threatening to kill him for assaulting Zerlina. But
Ottavio produces a pistol, and the three guests unmask and declare that they
know all. But despite being denounced on all sides, Don Giovanni escapes – for
the moment.
Act
2
Scene
1 – Outside Elvira's house
Leporello
threatens to leave Giovanni, but his master calms him with a peace offering of
money (Duet: "Eh via buffone" – "Go on, fool"). Wanting to
seduce Elvira's maid, Giovanni persuades Leporello to exchange cloak and hat
with him. Elvira comes to her window (Trio: "Ah taci, ingiusto core"
– "Ah, be quite unjust heart"). Seeing an opportunity for a game,
Giovanni hides and sends Leporello out in the open dressed as Giovanni. From
his hiding place Giovanni sings a promise of repentance, expressing a desire to
return to her, while Leporello poses as Giovanni and tries to keep from
laughing. Elvira is convinced and descends to the street. Leporello, continuing
to pose as Giovanni, leads her away to keep her occupied while Giovanni serenades her maid with his
mandolin. ("Deh vieni alla finestra" – "Ah, come to the
window").
Before
Giovanni can complete his seduction of the maid, Masetto and his friends
arrive, searching for Giovanni with the intent of killing him. Giovanni
(dressed as Leporello) convinces the posse that he also hates Giovanni, and
joins the hunt. After cunningly dispersing Masetto's friends (Giovanni aria:
"Metà di voi qua vadano" – "Half of you go this way"), Giovanni
takes Masetto's weapons away, beats him up, and runs off, laughing. Zerlina
arrives and consoles the bruised and battered Masetto ("Vedrai
carino" – "You'll see, dear one").
Scene
2 – A dark courtyard
Leporello
abandons Elvira. (Sextet: "Sola, sola in buio loco" – "All alone
in this dark place"). As he tries to escape, Ottavio arrives with Anna,
consoling her in her grief. Just as Leporello is about to slip through the
door, which he has difficulty finding, Zerlina and Masetto open it and, seeing
him dressed as Giovanni, catch him before he can escape. When Anna and Ottavio notice,
what is going on, all move to surround Leporello, threatening him with death.
Elvira tries to protect the man who she thinks is Giovanni, claiming that he is
her husband and begging for pity. The other four are resolved to punish the
traitor, but Leporello removes his cloak to reveal his identity. He begs
everyone's forgiveness and, seeing an opportunity, runs off (Leporello aria:
"Ah pietà signori miei" – "Ah, have mercy, my lords").
Given the circumstances, Ottavio is convinced that Giovanni was the murderer of
Donna Anna's father (the deceased Commendatore) and swears vengeance ("Il
mio tesoro" – "My treasure" – though in the Vienna version this
was cut).[16] Elvira is
still furious at Giovanni for betraying her, but she also feels sorry for him.
("Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata" – "That ungrateful wretch
betrayed me").
Scene
3 – A graveyard with the statue of the Commendatore. Leporello tells Don
Giovanni of his brush with danger, and Giovanni taunts him, saying that he took
advantage of his disguise as Leporello by trying to seduce one of Leporello's
girlfriends. But the servant is not amused, suggesting it could have been his
wife, and Don Giovanni laughs aloud at his servant's protests. The voice of the
statue warns Giovanni that his laughter will not last beyond sunrise. At the
command of his master, Leporello reads the inscription upon the statue's base:
"Here am I waiting for revenge against the sacrilegious one who gave me
death" (Dell'empio che mi trasse al passo estremo qui attendo la
vendetta). The servant trembles, but the unabashed Giovanni orders him to
invite the statue to dinner, threatening to kill him if he does not. Leporello
makes several attempts to invite the statue to dinner but for fear cannot
complete the task (Duet: "O, statua gentilissima" – "Oh most
kind statue"). It falls upon Don Giovanni himself to complete the
invitation, thereby sealing his own doom. Much to his surprise, the statue nods
its head and responds affirmatively.
Scene
4 – Donna Anna's room.
Ottavio
pressures Anna to marry him, but she thinks it inappropriate so soon after her
father's death. He accuses her of being cruel, and she assures him that she loves
him, and is faithful ("Non mi dir" – "Tell me not").
Scene
5 – Don Giovanni's chambers
Giovanni
revels in the luxury of a great meal, served by Leporello, and musical
entertainment during which the orchestra plays then-contemporary
late-18th-century operatic music: "O quanto in sì bel giubilo" from Vicente Martín
y Soler's Una cosa
rara (1786), "Come un agnello" from Giuseppe Sarti's Fra i
due litiganti il terzo gode (1782) and finally, "Non più andrai"
from Mozart's own The
Marriage of Figaro (1786).[17] (Finale "Già la
mensa preparata" – "Already the table is prepared"). Elvira
appears, saying that she no longer feels resentment for Giovanni, only pity.
("L'ultima prova dell'amor mio" – "The final proof of my
love"). Surprised by her lack of hatred, Giovanni asks what it is that she
wants, and she begs him to change his life. Giovanni taunts her and then turns
away, praising wine and women as the "support and glory of humankind"
(sostegno e gloria d'umanità). Hurt and angered, Elvira gives up and
leaves. A moment later, her scream is heard from outside the walls of the
palace, and she returns only to flee through another door. Giovanni orders
Leporello to see what has upset her; upon peering, outside, the servant also
cries out, and runs back into the room, stammering that the statue has appeared
as promised. An ominous knocking sounds at the door. Leporello, paralyzed by
fear, cannot answer it, so Giovanni opens it himself, revealing the statue of
the Commendatore. With the D minor music from the overture now accompanying the
bass voice ("Don Giovanni! A cenar teco m'invitasti" – "Don
Giovanni! You invited me to dine with you"), the Commendatore offers a
last chance to repent, but Giovanni adamantly refuses. The statue sinks into
the earth and drags Giovanni down with him. Hellfire, and a chorus of demons, surround
Don Giovanni as he is carried below.
Donna
Anna, Don Ottavio, Donna Elvira, Zerlina, and Masetto arrive, searching for the
villain. They find instead Leporello hiding under the table, shaken by the
supernatural horror he has witnessed. Giovanni is dead. Anna and Ottavio will
marry when Anna's year of mourning is over; Elvira will spend the rest of her
life in a convent; Zerlina and Masetto will finally go home for dinner; and
Leporello will go to the tavern to find a better master.
The
concluding ensemble delivers the moral of the opera – "Such is the end of
the evildoer: the death of a sinner always reflects his life"
("Questo è il fin di chi fa mal, e de' perfidi la morte alla vita è sempre
ugual"). In the past, the final ensemble was sometimes omitted by
conductors (such as Gustav
Mahler) who claimed that the opera should end when the title character
dies. However, this approach has not survived, and today's conductors almost
always include the finale in its entirety. The return to D major and the
innocent simplicity of the last few bars conclude the opera. “
These summaries and
descriptions cannot communicate the power of the various combinations of voice
with every soloist in the production appearing to vie to command our attention
and admiration. Adam Plcechetka as the man servant; Paul Appleby as the loyal
fiancé, Zerna Malfi as the bride, Malin Bystrom was Evira and Hibla Gerzmava-
Donna Anna. Matthew Rose jealous and doubting husband while Kwangchow Youn
impressive as the Commendatore
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