Don Giobanni
Don Giovanni
The Location is Spain just out side of a young woman’s home while her father is sleeping. A young man bold enough to seduce her as her father sleeps, the father wakes to chase him from the home. It is Don Giovanni, a womanizer of noble stature. This opera unfolds as in a modern day tale of a Casanova of today which has little regard for others feelings; ready to romp with the next woman or girl passes by. The Musicians, vocal or instrumental, in this production of “Don Giovanni” are extremely apt at their craft and in the conveyance of the tale.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart took a unique approach to this tale by giving it a truly comic edge thru the music. The Overture sets the tone beginning with its dark chords and strange melodies, it tells us of the subject matter which later we shall learn to be deceit, greed, self love and of course murder; during the overture however a musical lightness or jovial feel begins to emerge which lets us know as listeners it will be a comedy of sorts especially since it is noted to be played Molto Allegro.
There have been many debates on whether “Don Giovanni” is a comedy or drama, because of the subject matter and the Finale. Most opera comedies or opera-buffas end in an upbeat event or marriage as in the “Marriage of Figaro”; this so called comedy ends with a decent to hell. So we probably can safely say that this could be classified as a comedy- drama or a drama- giocoso as Mozart himself labeled it (Ewen, 1967).
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Through much of the piece the score tends to be light and full of buoyancy. The smooth melodic passages coupled with several clear timbral contrasts are clearly heard through the piece giving a rich story telling feel. In this opera you can hear all the colors or timbral contrasts in the overture; Mozart knew how to blend the instruments, when to bring them in and out to convey his musical message. The rhythm of the score for the most part keeps...
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