As I've said before, I feel that Don Giovanni is Mozart's supreme masterpiece for the operatic stage, and also one of that handful of works (including the 20th and 24th piano concerti, the Requiem, and the 40th and 41st symphonies) in which he came closest to breaking through into the romantic era.
Don Giovanni is titled as a dramma giocoso, and the Italian meaning is palpable even to those without much training in the language. Exactly what it means as a genre is less easy to define, but in Mozart's work we definitely see the mixture of seriousness and levity, with moods alternating at lightning-fast speed in some sequences. We also see the connection of the two extremes, as his own levity becomes one of the key forces dragging Don Giovanni to his hellish end.
The extraordinary thing about this opera, and the aspect which I believe lifts it to the position of Mozart's best, is the remarkable number of different approaches that can be taken to almost all of the main characters in the drama. It's the biggest reason why Don Giovanni is always worth seeing again. Even more than in most operas, you will never see the same opera twice because the story can be so strongly coloured by playing with the dynamics of the characters. The commentator who called it "this endlessly invigorating drama" certainly hit the nail on the head!
The extraordinary thing about this opera, and the aspect which I believe lifts it to the position of Mozart's best, is the remarkable number of different approaches that can be taken to almost all of the main characters in the drama. It's the biggest reason why Don Giovanni is always worth seeing again. Even more than in most operas, you will never see the same opera twice because the story can be so strongly coloured by playing with the dynamics of the characters. The commentator who called it "this endlessly invigorating drama" certainly hit the nail on the head!
This Metropolitan Opera production marks the fourth staging of Don Giovanni which I've seen in the last decade. And be it clear, I do mean four quite separate and distinct productions. Two were at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, one was by Opera Atelier (also in Toronto), and now this one.
It was also by far the most traditional staging I have ever seen. In a previous review (Anti-Romantic Version of the First Romantic Opera), I zeroed in on the weaknesses of a modern "psychological" production, with quick references backwards to another that was a bit more traditional until it came time for the Don to die. Both, in their different ways, made complete nonsense of the words and music.
Let's be completely clear: I do not demand or require that an opera be staged as it was when first performed, but whatever conceits the director presents on stage absolutely should not swear at the music and the sung text.
So, to this Metropolitan Opera staging, a revival of a production by Michael Grandage which premiered in 2011. But of course the Met's history with this opera goes much farther back in time, a point made clear by the laconic note on the programme that this was the Metropolitan's 564th performance of Don Giovanni. Just let that number sink in for a moment.
Christopher Oram's set at first appeared a bit like overkill, with three stories of apartment balconies stretching right across the stage. However, as soon as the unit separated into two, moving independently back and to the sides and revealing more units behind, the flexibility of the concept began to appear -- and the set continued to reveal more and more possible uses and configurations as the performance progressed. Not the least of the advantages was the fact that all scene changes could take place on the roll (literally) with no need to ever stop or lower a curtain, or turn the lights down, during either of the two long acts.
Before the performance, a stage announcement was made that Mariusz Kwiecien was going to go on in the role of Don Giovanni in spite of fighting a cold. However, after the long first act, another announcement informed us that the rest of the performance was to be given by another singer, whose name, alas, I did not catch. Kwiecien made a powerful impression in the first act, in spite of his vocal trials, and wore the role with complete assurance and a thoroughly rakish disposition. The replacement singer was considerably taller, which would give him a dominating position, but he was also (not surprisingly) a little more tentative in the physical demands of the role. His voice had a brighter tone colour. The serenade Deh' vieni a la fenestra had a kind of textbook feel to it as he was still settling in, but by the banquet scene he had thoroughly gotten into the role and his confrontation with the Commendatore was intense and dramatic indeed.
Erwin Schrott made a splendid Leporello, singing with great panache and notable accuracy in Madamina, il catalogo è questo, and making the most of his comic opportunities throughout the evening. He certainly had the physicality of the role down pat, drawing plenty of laughs from the audience in the scene where he impersonates the Don to Donna Elvira.
As Donna Anna, Angela Meade dominated the stage every time she sang. Her voice is large and powerful, and occasionally lacked the flexibility ideally wanted to deal with Mozart's more rapid lines. But even aside from the voice, she presented Donna Anna as a thoroughly masterful and dominant personality, demanding where other Annas might plead, and issuing orders where others might suggest.
Marina Rebeka as Donna Elvira was not Meade's equal in sheer force, but sang throughout with both purity of tone and precision. Her take on Donna Elvira was less neurotic than we sometimes see, certainly less pathetic, and less likely to be walked over in the long term. This more definite personality accorded well with Rebeka's clear and precise singing.
Matthew Polenzani sang fervently as Don Ottavio, and gave his character a tinge of the pathos that was missing from the women. Il mio tesoro was a vocal highlight of the evening, as much for an unusual subtlety of interpretation as for the gorgeous high notes.
The role of Masetto was taken by Jeongcheol Cha, and he gave a fine performance, with dramatic intensity well to the fore in his encounters with Don Giovanni. As Zerlina, Isabel Leonard's singing was sweet and clear at all times. These two made an uncommonly good thing out of the scenes in which they try to make up their quarrel, with Cha playing up Masetto's sulks while Leonard gave Zerlina's pleading in Batti, batti, o bel Masetto a nice comic touch of sassiness. This approach punctured any suspicion that she was crawling back to Masetto on his terms -- far from it!
Štefan Kocán presented a powerful Commendatore, pointing his words in the banquet scene to great dramatic effect.
The entire performance rested securely on the conducting of Plácido Domingo. It's ironic that after he sang professionally as a tenor for so many decades, I should finally get to see him in a live performance where he didn't sing at all! But of course he is thoroughly familiar with Mozart's score, and led the orchestra throughout the evening with a minimum of intrusive or disruptive "interpretation." Particularly fine was the absolute integration between orchestra and singer in Il mio tesoro, where the gentle rubato set the seal on a magnificent reading of the music. The descent to hell was dramatically powerful, pointing the way forward to romanticism without actually trying to get there prematurely. My one bone to pick is that once again, the full three beats of rest between the two great chords of the statue music were not fully observed.
This was a great finish to an exciting week of opera and musical theatre in New York. I'm already laying plans for my next expedition!
It was also by far the most traditional staging I have ever seen. In a previous review (Anti-Romantic Version of the First Romantic Opera), I zeroed in on the weaknesses of a modern "psychological" production, with quick references backwards to another that was a bit more traditional until it came time for the Don to die. Both, in their different ways, made complete nonsense of the words and music.
Let's be completely clear: I do not demand or require that an opera be staged as it was when first performed, but whatever conceits the director presents on stage absolutely should not swear at the music and the sung text.
So, to this Metropolitan Opera staging, a revival of a production by Michael Grandage which premiered in 2011. But of course the Met's history with this opera goes much farther back in time, a point made clear by the laconic note on the programme that this was the Metropolitan's 564th performance of Don Giovanni. Just let that number sink in for a moment.
Christopher Oram's set at first appeared a bit like overkill, with three stories of apartment balconies stretching right across the stage. However, as soon as the unit separated into two, moving independently back and to the sides and revealing more units behind, the flexibility of the concept began to appear -- and the set continued to reveal more and more possible uses and configurations as the performance progressed. Not the least of the advantages was the fact that all scene changes could take place on the roll (literally) with no need to ever stop or lower a curtain, or turn the lights down, during either of the two long acts.
Before the performance, a stage announcement was made that Mariusz Kwiecien was going to go on in the role of Don Giovanni in spite of fighting a cold. However, after the long first act, another announcement informed us that the rest of the performance was to be given by another singer, whose name, alas, I did not catch. Kwiecien made a powerful impression in the first act, in spite of his vocal trials, and wore the role with complete assurance and a thoroughly rakish disposition. The replacement singer was considerably taller, which would give him a dominating position, but he was also (not surprisingly) a little more tentative in the physical demands of the role. His voice had a brighter tone colour. The serenade Deh' vieni a la fenestra had a kind of textbook feel to it as he was still settling in, but by the banquet scene he had thoroughly gotten into the role and his confrontation with the Commendatore was intense and dramatic indeed.
Erwin Schrott made a splendid Leporello, singing with great panache and notable accuracy in Madamina, il catalogo è questo, and making the most of his comic opportunities throughout the evening. He certainly had the physicality of the role down pat, drawing plenty of laughs from the audience in the scene where he impersonates the Don to Donna Elvira.
As Donna Anna, Angela Meade dominated the stage every time she sang. Her voice is large and powerful, and occasionally lacked the flexibility ideally wanted to deal with Mozart's more rapid lines. But even aside from the voice, she presented Donna Anna as a thoroughly masterful and dominant personality, demanding where other Annas might plead, and issuing orders where others might suggest.
Marina Rebeka as Donna Elvira was not Meade's equal in sheer force, but sang throughout with both purity of tone and precision. Her take on Donna Elvira was less neurotic than we sometimes see, certainly less pathetic, and less likely to be walked over in the long term. This more definite personality accorded well with Rebeka's clear and precise singing.
Matthew Polenzani sang fervently as Don Ottavio, and gave his character a tinge of the pathos that was missing from the women. Il mio tesoro was a vocal highlight of the evening, as much for an unusual subtlety of interpretation as for the gorgeous high notes.
The role of Masetto was taken by Jeongcheol Cha, and he gave a fine performance, with dramatic intensity well to the fore in his encounters with Don Giovanni. As Zerlina, Isabel Leonard's singing was sweet and clear at all times. These two made an uncommonly good thing out of the scenes in which they try to make up their quarrel, with Cha playing up Masetto's sulks while Leonard gave Zerlina's pleading in Batti, batti, o bel Masetto a nice comic touch of sassiness. This approach punctured any suspicion that she was crawling back to Masetto on his terms -- far from it!
Štefan Kocán presented a powerful Commendatore, pointing his words in the banquet scene to great dramatic effect.
The entire performance rested securely on the conducting of Plácido Domingo. It's ironic that after he sang professionally as a tenor for so many decades, I should finally get to see him in a live performance where he didn't sing at all! But of course he is thoroughly familiar with Mozart's score, and led the orchestra throughout the evening with a minimum of intrusive or disruptive "interpretation." Particularly fine was the absolute integration between orchestra and singer in Il mio tesoro, where the gentle rubato set the seal on a magnificent reading of the music. The descent to hell was dramatically powerful, pointing the way forward to romanticism without actually trying to get there prematurely. My one bone to pick is that once again, the full three beats of rest between the two great chords of the statue music were not fully observed.
This was a great finish to an exciting week of opera and musical theatre in New York. I'm already laying plans for my next expedition!
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