"Don Giovanni," or "The Libertine Punished," an opera buffa in two acts, with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and words by Da Ponte, was first presented in Prague, Oct. 29, 1787.
CHARACTERS
Don Giovanni, a young nobleman of dissolute habits.
Don Octavio, the betrothed of Donna Anna.
Don Pedro, commander of the Knights of the Order of Malta, and the father of Donna Anna.
Masetto, lover of Zerlina.
Leporello, servant of Don Giovanni.
Donna Anna, betrothed to Don Octavio.
Donna Elvira, a lady deserted by Don Giovanni.
Zerlina, a country girl.
Male and female peasants, musicians, guests and servants.
Don Giovanni is a licentious nobleman who attempts to seduce and carry off Donna Anna, the daughter of Don Pedro, the governor, a man held in great honor and respect. The father forces Don Giovanni to a duel and, in the encounter, meets his death. Don Giovanni and his servant, Leporello, who shares gleefully in his master's escapades, make their escape. Donna Elvira, one of the dissolute Don's many victims, comes to reprove him, but he gaily leaves her to Leporello, who entertains her with a list of his master's successes with the fair sex.
Don Giovanni now amuses himself with Zerlina, a handsome peasant girl about to be married to Masetto. He tells her that she is too pretty to be wasted on a country bumpkin. She is induced to enter the palace with the libertine, while Masetto, filled with jealousy, is left in the tender charge of Leporello, who has orders to fill the wine-cup nimbly for the purpose of intoxicating the distracted fellow. Fortunately, the injured Elvira interrupts Don Giovanni in the exercise of his boasted arts and, revealing his perfidy, succeeds in saving the innocent girl.
Donna Anna and her adoring lover, who has sworn assistance in the work of avenging the dead commandant, arrive at the palace of Don Giovanni, where an entertainment is in progress. They have no idea that he is the murderer and ask his aid, which he, with the greatest effrontery, assures them. Again he is thwarted by Elvira, who tells them all the truth. The festival continues and Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Don Octavio return masked and are welcomed by the host. When the opportunity arrives, Don Giovanni again approaches Zerlina but she is rescued from his embraces by the newcomers, who are summoned by her cries.
Don Giovanni, still intent upon securing Zerlina, seeks Donna Elvira's house, where the young girl has been concealed by her rescuers. Leporello imitates his master's voice and by singing 'a serenade entices Donna Elvira to come forth. The coast being clear, Don Giovanni now boldly enters to take possession of Zerlina. He is surprised, how-ever, by Masetto and his friends and, thwarted in his design, he escapes and meets Leporello near the equestrian statue of the murdered governor, newly erected in the cemetery. To his consternation and that of his horrified serving-man, the statue speaks, warning him that, before the morrow is over, he shall die. Don Giovanni mockingly proffers an invitation to supper and the statue solemnly nods its head in acceptance. The next night, Donna Elvira, in whose heart love and vengeance have been fighting a continual duel, seeks and implores the Don to repent of his follies but he only laughs and she leaves him despairingly.
While the guests are assembling for supper, the statue arrives. The lights flicker and grow pale, the music becomes nebulous and strange. Don Giovanni recovers his equanimity with an effort and orders a place to be laid for the super-natural visitor, who holds out his hand to him. Three times Don Giovanni grasps the cold fingers and three times the statue warns him to repent. Each time he refuses with bursts of drunken laughter. At the third refusal the statue disappears, the earth opens and the demons of hell appear to carry the dissolute nobleman to his final abode.
" Don Giovanni " is conceded to be the masterpiece of Mozart. Many of his admirers go still further and call it the greatest opera in all repertoire. Undeniably, it remains the greatest work of its kind written by a German musician, and certain it is that with "Don Giovanni, " " The Marriage of Figaro " and " The Magic Flute, " the opera of the Eighteenth Century attained its climax. Fortunately, the text, although unpleasant in subject matter, is worthy of association with such inspired music.
The work is fairly teeming with famous numbers, most of them admirably suited for use on the concert stage. Notable in the score are Elvira's plaintive song, " Ah ! chi mi dice mai " (" Ah ! how shall I discover ") ; Leporello's famous " Catalogue Aria," containing a résumé of his master's amours ; the duet of Don Giovanni and Zerlina, " La ci darem la mano " (" When with thy hand in mine, dear ") ; Elvira's great aria, " Mi tradi " (" Though by him I've been neglected ") ; Donna Anna's equally notable scena, " Or sai, chi l'onore " (" Thou knowest who it was ") ; Don Giovanni's dashing drinking song, " Fin ch'han dal vino " (" Now that they're merry"); Zerlina's charmingly coquettish song " Batti, batti " (" Chide me, chide me, dear Masetto ") ; the "mask " trio for Donna Elvira, Donna Anna and Don Octavio; Don Giovanni's serenade, " Deh vieni" (" Come smiling forth ") ; Zerlina's beautiful Vedrai, carino " (" List and I'll find love ") ; the great tenor song, " Il mio tesore " (" Go then my love entreating ") ; and Donna Anna's " Non mi dir " (" Say not then ").
