Don Giovanni (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdɔn dʒoˈvanni]; K. 527; full title: Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, meaning "The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni") is an opera in two acts. The music was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the text was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte in Italian. The story is based on a centuries-old Spanish legend about a man named Don Juan, as told by playwright Tirso de Molina in his 1630 play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra. The opera mixes comedy, serious drama, and supernatural elements. Although Mozart listed it in his catalog as a "comic opera," it is also known as a dramma giocoso, which means a blend of humor and drama. The opera was first performed by the Prague Italian opera company at the National Theatre (now called the Estates Theatre) on October 29, 1787. Don Giovanni is considered one of the greatest operas ever written. It has inspired many discussions and analyses. Critic Fiona Maddocks has called it one of Mozart's "three masterpieces" with librettos written by Da Ponte.
Composition and premiere
The opera was created after Mozart's successful trip to Prague in January and February 1787. The story may have been chosen because a type of opera called Don Juan began in that city. Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote the story and lyrics for the opera based on Giovanni Bertati's earlier version, which was first performed in Venice in early 1787. Da Ponte copied two parts of Bertati's work: he started the opera with the murder of the Commendatore and avoided mentioning Seville (Bertati's story was set in Villena, Spain; Da Ponte only wrote "a city in Spain").
The opera was originally planned to be performed on October 14, 1787, during a visit by Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. However, it was not finished in time, and another opera, Le nozze di Figaro, was performed instead. Mozart finally completed the opera on October 28, the night before the planned premiere (October 29).
The opera was very well received, as was often true for Mozart's works in Prague. A newspaper in Prague wrote, "Experts and musicians say that Prague has never heard anything like this," and "the opera is extremely hard to perform." A newspaper in Vienna reported, "Mozart conducted the performance himself and was warmly welcomed by the audience."
The musical score includes two sets of woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones (used only in the second act), timpani, and a basso continuo for the recitatives, along with the usual string section. Mozart also included special musical effects. For the ballroom scene at the end of the first act, two groups on stage play different dance music in sync with the orchestra, each group playing in its own rhythm (a 3/4 minuet, a 2/4 contradanse, and a fast 3/8 peasant dance), while the main characters dance. In the second act, Giovanni plays the mandolin, accompanied by plucked strings. In the same act, two of the Commendatore's lines are accompanied by a wind chorale of oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and trombones (with cellos and basses from the string section).
Mozart also oversaw the Vienna premiere of the opera on May 7, 1788. For this production, he wrote two new arias with matching recitatives: Don Ottavio's "Dalla sua pace" (K. 540a, composed on April 24 for tenor Francesco Morella) and Elvira's "In quali eccessi… Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata" (K. 540c, composed on April 30 for soprano Caterina Cavalieri). He also wrote a duet between Leporello and Zerlina, "Per queste tue manine" (K. 540b, composed on April 28). Mozart made some cuts to the finale to make it shorter and more direct, including removing a section where characters reveal their future plans ("Or che tutti, o mio tesoro"). To connect "Ah, certo è l'ombra che l'incontrò" directly to the moral of the story, Mozart wrote a new version of "Resti dunque quel birbon fra Proserpina e Pluton!" These changes are rarely performed today.
The opera's final ensemble was usually left out until the early 20th century. According to a 19th-century writer, Wilhelm Kuhe, the final ensemble was only performed at the first Prague premiere and not again during the original run. It does not appear in the Viennese libretto from 1788, so the ending of the opera in the film Amadeus, which omits the ensemble, may be accurate. However, the full final ensemble is now almost always performed.
Modern productions sometimes include both the original aria for Don Ottavio, "Il mio tesoro," and its replacement, "Dalla sua pace," which was written for the tenor Francesco Morella. Elvira's aria, "In quali eccessi, o Numi… Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata," is usually performed. The duet "Per queste tue manine" and the scene involving Zerlina and Leporello from the Viennese version are rarely included.
Although the same singer played both Masetto and the Commendatore in the original Prague and Vienna premieres, modern productions typically use different singers for these roles (unless limited by factors like budget or space). The final scene's chorus of demons allows the singer to change costumes quickly before appearing as Masetto in the sextet.
Instrumentation
The list of instruments includes:
- Woodwinds: two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, and two bassoons
- Brass: two horns, two trumpets, and three trombones (used only in Act 2)
- Percussion: timpani
- Strings: first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, and double basses
- Basso continuo: harpsichord and violoncello
- Mandolin: one mandolin
Synopsis
Don Giovanni is a young, proud, and unfaithful nobleman who abuses and angers everyone in the story until he meets something he cannot kill, beat up, dodge, or outwit.
The overture begins with a strong, loud D minor musical phrase, followed by a short mysterious section, which leads into a cheerful D major fast-paced melody.
Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant, complains about his demanding master and dreams of being free from him ("Night and day I slave away"). While Don Giovanni is in the Commendatore's house trying to seduce the Commendatore's daughter, Donna Anna, Leporello keeps watch. Don Giovanni exits the house into the garden, chased by Donna Anna. He is wearing a mask, and she tries to stop him and remove it, shouting for help. (Trio: "Do not hope, unless you kill me, that I shall ever let you run away!"). He escapes, and she runs away as the Commendatore enters the garden. The Commendatore blocks Don Giovanni's path and forces him to fight. Don Giovanni kills the Commendatore with his sword and flees with Leporello. Donna Anna, returning with her fiancé, Don Ottavio, is shocked to see her father lying dead in a pool of blood. She makes Don Ottavio promise to avenge the unknown killer. (Duet: "Ah, swear to avenge that blood if you can!").
Leporello tells Don Giovanni that he is living a bad life; Don Giovanni reacts angrily. They hear a woman (Donna Elvira) singing about being abandoned by her lover, whom she seeks revenge against ("Ah, who could ever tell me"). Don Giovanni tries to flirt with her, but she recognizes him as her former lover. She scolds him harshly. He pushes Leporello forward, telling him to explain the truth about Don Giovanni to Donna Elvira, then leaves quickly.
Leporello tells Donna Elvira that Don Giovanni is unfaithful to everyone. He has had many lovers: 640 women in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in France, 91 in Turkey, and 1,003 in Spain ("My dear lady, this is the catalogue"). Donna Elvira vows revenge in a short musical section.
A wedding procession for Masetto and Zerlina enters. Don Giovanni and Leporello arrive soon after. Don Giovanni is attracted to Zerlina and tries to remove the jealous Masetto by offering to host a wedding celebration at his castle. Masetto becomes angry ("I understand! Yes, my lord!") but leaves. Don Giovanni and Zerlina are alone, and he begins to seduce her. (Duet: "There we will entwine our hands").
Donna Elvira arrives and stops the seduction ("Flee from the traitor!"). She leaves with Zerlina. Don Ottavio and Donna Anna enter, planning revenge on the unknown killer of Donna Anna's father. Donna Anna, unaware she is speaking to her attacker, pleads for Don Giovanni's help. Don Giovanni, relieved he is not recognized, agrees and asks who disturbed her. Before she can answer, Donna Elvira returns and tells Donna Anna and Don Ottavio that Don Giovanni is a dishonest seducer. Don Giovanni tries to convince Don Ottavio and Donna Anna that Donna Elvira is crazy (Quartet: "Don't trust him, oh sad one"). As Don Giovanni leaves, Donna Anna recognizes him as her father's murderer and tells Don Ottavio the story of his intrusion, claiming she was deceived at first because she expected a visit from Don Ottavio but fought him off after realizing he was an impostor (long musical exchange between Donna Anna and Don Ottavio). She repeats her demand for revenge, noting that Don Ottavio will also be avenging himself (aria: "Now you know who wanted to rob me of my honour"). In the Vienna version, Don Ottavio, still unsure (Donna Anna having only recognized Don Giovanni's voice, not his face), decides to watch his friend closely ("On her peace my peace depends").
Leporello tells Don Giovanni that all the guests of the peasant wedding are in Don Giovanni's house and that he distracted Masetto from his jealousy, but that Zerlina, returning with Donna Elvira, caused a scene and ruined everything. Don Giovanni remains happy and tells Leporello to organize a party and invite every girl he can find. (Don Giovanni's "Champagne Aria": "Till they are tipsy"). They hurry to his palace.
Zerlina follows the jealous Masetto and tries to calm him ("Beat, O beat me, handsome Masetto"), but when she convinces him of her innocence, Don Giovanni's voice from offstage frightens her. Masetto hides, determined to see what Zerlina will do when Don Giovanni arrives. Zerlina tries to hide from Don Giovanni, but he finds her and attempts to seduce her again until he discovers Masetto's hiding place. Confused but quickly recovering, Don Giovanni scolds Masetto for leaving Zerlina alone and returns her to him temporarily. Don Giovanni then leads both offstage to his ballroom. Three masked guests—disguised Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, and Donna Elvira—enter the garden. From a balcony, Leporello invites them to his master's party. They accept and Leporello leaves the balcony. Alone, Don Ottavio and Donna Anna pray for protection, Donna Elvira for revenge (Trio: "May the just heavens protect us").
As the celebration, featuring three separate chamber orchestras on stage, continues, Leporello distracts Masetto by dancing with him, while Don Giovanni leads Zerlina offstage to a private room and tries to assault her. When Zerlina screams for help, Don Giovanni drags Leporello onstage from the room, accuses him of assaulting Zerlina, and threatens to kill him. The others are not fooled. Don Ottavio produces a pistol and points it at Don Giovanni, and the three guests unmask and declare they know everything. Despite being denounced and threatened, Don Giovanni remains calm and escapes—for now.
Leporello threatens to leave Don Giovanni, but his master calms him with a peace offering
Recordings
In 1954, Paul Czinner directed a film of the Salzburg Festival performance. In 1979, Joseph Losey directed a movie version of the Salzburg Festival, with Ruggero Raimondi in the main role.
Cultural influence
Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, wrote an essay in his book Enten – Eller. He used the name "A" and said that Don Giovanni is one of the greatest classic works. Charles Gounod, a composer, called Mozart's Don Giovanni "a work without flaws, perfectly complete." The ending of the opera, where Don Giovanni refuses to apologize, has inspired many writers, including George Bernard Shaw. In his play Man and Superman, Shaw made fun of the opera and included parts of the music from the scene between Don Giovanni and the Commendatore. Gustave Flaubert, a famous writer, said that Don Giovanni, along with Hamlet and the sea, are "the three finest things God ever made." E. T. A. Hoffmann wrote a short story called Don Juan, in which the narrator meets Donna Anna and describes Don Juan as a hero who defies God and society.
In some languages, Leporello's "Catalogue Aria" inspired the name "Leporello [de] list" for items like brochures, photo albums, and computer printouts.
Playwright Peter Shaffer used Don Giovanni in his play Amadeus, a story about Mozart. In the play, Antonio Salieri notices that Mozart wrote the opera while remembering his late father, Leopold. Salieri uses this knowledge to torment Mozart further.
Because Don Giovanni is so popular, many musicians have used parts of it in their works. Franz Liszt created a musical piece called Réminiscences de Don Juan, which is a fantasy based on Mozart's opera. Moritz Moszkowski took a minuet from the opera and included it in a piece by Liszt. Sigismond Thalberg also used the same minuet and another song from the opera in his Grand Fantaisie. Thalberg also arranged "Il mio tesoro" for piano. This minuet was also used by Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Fanny Hünerwadel, and János Fusz in their piano variations. "Deh, vieni alla finestra" appears in Ferruccio Busoni's Klavierübung as a variation study. Robert Schumann arranged "Vedrai carino" for piano, and Muzio Clementi wrote variations on Zerlina's song "Batti, batti." Johann Wilhelm Wilms used a theme from the duet "O, statua gentilissima" in his piano variations. Frédéric Chopin wrote variations on "Là ci darem la mano," and Beethoven and Danzi also wrote variations on the same theme. Beethoven's Diabelli Variations includes a part from the opera's song "Notte e giorno faticar." Cipriani Potter wrote variations on "Fin ch'han dal vino," and the turkeys in Chabrier's Ballade des gros dindons mimic the mandolin music from the opera's Serenade.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky admired Don Giovanni and its composer. In 1855, Pauline Viardot, a singer, bought Mozart's original manuscript. Viardot was the teacher of Désirée Artôt, who was once engaged to Tchaikovsky. Viardot kept the manuscript in a shrine in her Paris home, where many people visited it. Tchaikovsky saw the manuscript in 1886 and said he felt "in the presence of divinity." In 1887, to honor Mozart, Tchaikovsky arranged four lesser-known works by Mozart into his fourth orchestral suite, called Mozarti ana. The baritone who sang Don Giovanni in the centenary performance in Prague was Mariano Padilla y Ramos, the man Désirée Artôt married instead of Tchaikovsky.
Michael Nyman's piece In Re Don Giovanni is based on a 15-bar phrase from Leporello's "Catalogue Aria."
Other operas also reference Don Giovanni. In Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, a character sings a part of Leporello's "Notte e giorno." Rossini used the same aria in his opera Il turco in Italia.
Ramón Carnicer's opera Don Giovanni Tenorio is a version of Mozart's opera adapted to fit Rossinian style. Carnicer used new music and Mozart's music, sometimes combining them. The opera includes parts directly taken from Mozart's Don Giovanni and even from Le nozze di Figaro, though they were slightly changed.