Don Giovanni Themes - San Francisco Opera

DON GIOVANNI
THEMES
One of the most performed operas in the world, Don Giovanni is the second of three operas —Le Nozze di
Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787) and Così fan tutte (1790) — composed by the immortal teaming of
Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Italian librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. The opera tells the
story of Don Juan, the infamous seducer of women first introduced to audiences by Spanish dramatist
Tirso de Molinaʼs 1630 play, El Burlador de Sevilla.
The work premiered on October 29, 1787, conducted by Mozart himself, at the Gräflich Nöstitz'sches
Nationaltheater in Prague under the title, “Il Dissoluto Punito ossia il Don Giovanni,
Dramma giocoso in due
atti.” which translates as “The Dissolute Punished, or Don Juan.” The dictionary defines “dissolute” as
“lacking in moral restraint, indulging in sensual pleasures or vices.” Mozartʼs opera deliciously presents the
cautionary tale of a man with little scruples and tremendous charm. Although Mozart described the piece
as an “opera buffa,” the work surprises with twists and turns in both tone and plot. Don Giovanni is a new
kind of opera that blurs the comic and the serious, when Don Giovanni fails to repent for his sins and learns
his lesson by the operaʼs end. The audience witnesses his comeuppance with delight in a masterwork that
has been described by many as “the perfect opera.”
Don Giovanni – Breaking with the Traditions of Commedia dellʼArte
Mozart and Da Ponteʼs success with The Marriage of Figaro in 1784 ensured that their follow-up opera
would be highly anticipated. Mozart was offered a generous contract by Pragueʼs Nationaltheater to create
a new work. In his memoirs, Da Ponte writes that it was he who suggested the story of Don Giovanni to
Mozart. The new opera would again examine the actions of noblemen and servant class in the same vein
as The Marriage of Figaro, but this time, the story examined the relationship between good, evil and the
supernatural.
The collision of familiar stock characters created in the tradition of mid-16th century Italian commedia
dellʼarte is once again the source of great audience amusement in Don Giovanni — The suffering servant
and his lecherous master, the unrequited dowager and two pairs of young lovers, representing both the
nobility and servant classes. However, who would have anticipated a rape and a death within the first
minutes of the operaʼs opening, much less that the dead man would return at the end of the opera as a
statue come to life to demand vengance? Mozart and Da Pont turned audience expectations on end. The
noblemanʼs behavior was reprehensible, and the servant class prey for the upper class. At some point,
each of the characters get sadder and wiser with their growing knowledge of human nature. At the operaʼs
Vienna premiere in 1788, Da Ponte wrote that “ʻDon Giovanniʼ did not please! Everyone, except Mozart,
thought that there was something missing.”
Audiences were not quite sure what to make of the new work,
but none other than the esteemed composer Joseph Haydn, “The Father of the Symphony” knew that he
had witnessed something new and bold: ʻI cannot settle the argument. But one thing I knowʼ – he added
very energetically – ʻand that is that Mozart is the greatest composer that the world now has.ʼ
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Education Materials DON GIOVANNI Themes

The Juxtaposition of the Serious and the Comic
Mozart labeled Don Giovanni an “opera buffa,” (comic opera), but the opera depends on commonly found
aspects of “opera seria” (serious opera), such as betrayal, violence, death, and a calculating villain to
provide the tension that drives the operaʼs action forward. The operaʼs story and music constantly show
characters in opposition, exhibiting a range of feelings and behaviors, constantly changing colors in a
dazzling kaleidoscope of human expression.
Happiness/Misery
With the operaʼs opening scene, the duality of human emotions explored throughout the opera is evident.
Don Giovanniʼs dismisses his villanous act, the murder of the Commendatore with this light exchange
directed at his servant Leporello.
Rash old man, I have undone thee!
In the pangs of death thou'rt lying!
Mine's the deed, there's no denying.
Why to fight was I beguil'd?
Donna Anna realizes that she is in some respects responsible for her fatherʼs death. His paternal love for
her demanded that he defend her honor against the libertine Don Giovanni.
'Twas here I left him.
seeing the corpse
What is this I behold?
Can I believe my senses,
Ah, me unhappy!
My father, oh, my father, look upon me!
Donna Anna asks Don Octavio to swear that he will avenge her fatherʼs death, and he gladly answers:
I swear it,
By heav'n I will avenge him,
I swear it by our love!
Jealousy/Trust
With the famous “Catalog Aria,” Donna Elvira expresses her upset with Don Giovanni deception only to be
subjected to Leporelloʼs attempt to comfort her by sharing of the written account of Don Giovanniʼs
conquests. He is an equal opportunity seducer of women all over Europe (The headcount: 640 in Italy, 520
in France, 200 in the Rhineland, and 1003 in Spain.)
The following scene finds Zerlina and Masetto ready to be married, and Don Giovanni takes no time at all to
woo the bride-to-be. Don Giovanni instructs Leporello to ply the guests and the groom, his “friend Masetto”
with refreshments and pleasures. Zerlina tells Masetto that they have nothing to fear for the Don is a
gentleman. Masetto protests, and he is threatened with the sword, and reminded of his place by Don Giovanni.
Masetto mine, beware, or you'll repent it!
Betrayal/Forgiveness
When Donna Elvira attempts to warn the others, Don Giovanni tries to pursuade them that Elvira is crazy,
and Donna Ann recognizes the voice of the man who murdered her father. Don Octavio is determined to
bring the killer to justice as a display of his love and devotion to Donna Anna.
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Education Materials DON GIOVANNI Themes

I can scarely believe it,
That of crimes so degrading a noble can be guilty!
Closely I will pursue him,
Till the truth is discovered,
Ev'ry emotion, my allegiance to the dear one
Whom my faith I have plighted,
Bids me avenge her wrongs and see her righted.
Donna Anna, Don Octavio, Donna Elvira, Zerlina and Masetto unite. All are determined to catch Don
Giovanni, and even Leporello struggles to come to terms with his masterʼs ways, even as he adopts his
masterʼs strategies of deception.
I'll stay with him no longer,
I will not have this madman for a master!
See, there he comes, look at him,
So cool, just as if nothing e'er had happened.
When Don Giovanni is finally cornered, he has no trouble trying to force the blame on his faithful servant.
The group angrily accuses him of his transgressions, but both Don Giovanni and Leporello are aware that
they are no match for the nobleman. He is not easily intimidated.
But my (his) courage ne'er forsook me, (him)
And I'll (He) face the matter boldly,
All their threats shall not withhold me, (him)
Tho' a sign from heav'n should fall.
A Higher Calling
In the end, it takes a supernatural power to call Don Giovanni to task. The statue of the dead
Commendatore comes to the door, demanding company for dinner, and Don Giovanni has no choice but to
go. Even as the earth trembles and flames surround him, he refuses to repent, demanding that the statue
“vanish thou from my sight!” He is dragged down to Hell, doomed to suffer in eternity, locked in the tight
grip of the Commendatoreʼs handshake.
My soul is rent in agony!
Condemn'd to endless misery,
Oh, doom of wrath and terror,
No more to see the light!
When the company commands the stage, Donna Anna and Don Octavio take the time to build their trust
and love, Zerlina and Masetto rush to be wed, Donna Elvira is set for the convent, and Leporello is ready to
seek another master and begin another life. They lift their voices together to sing happily for the audience
to heed the tale of the recently departed dissolute — Don Giovanni, the man who desired his “cup of
pleasure” and insisted he would “drain it to the end.”
He who wrought for selfish pleasure,
Shall depart without, yes without a friend.
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Education Materials DON GIOVANNI Themes