Don Giovanni - Student Guide

Opera Look-In Michelle Cross Fenty, Honory Chair

Don Giovanni Don Giovanni

By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

SYNOPSIS

The story takes place in Seville, Spain in the 18th century.

It is the middle of the night, and Don Giovanni is once again causing mischief. This time he has snuck into the room of the beautiful Donna Anna. Her father, the Commendatore, hears her scream and comes to her defense. He angrily forces Don Giovanni into a duel. Don Giovanni easily kills the old Commendatore and escapes from the scene of the crime with his servant Leporello. Donna Anna is comforted by Don Ottavio, the man she is going to marry, and together they swear to punish the man who killed her father.

Later, Don Giovanni runs into Donna Elvira, a woman whom he had once loved and then abandoned. Though she is very angry at him for leaving her, she still loves him and wishes they were together. However, Don Giovanni wants nothing to do with her and manages to make another quick get-away.

The following day, a large party takes place to celebrate the engagement of two peasants, Zerlina and Masetto. Don Giovanni sees the pretty peasant bride Zerlina. In order to win her affection, Don Giovanni lies and promises to marry her and make her a noblewoman. After much hesitation, Zerlina runs away from Don Giovanni to return to Masetto.

Don Giovanni continues his quest for beautiful women. He decides to disguise himself as his servant Leporello, hoping that Donna Elvira’s maid will love him if she believes that he too is a servant. However, Masetto appears with

a group of peasants who are looking for Don Giovanni so they can kill him in revenge for attempting to seduce Zerlina. Don Giovanni (now disguised as Leporello) gets rid of the mob and beats up Masetto before escaping once again.

The real Leporello (who is still disguised as Don Giovanni) meets Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Zerlina, and Masetto. They want to kill him because they think he is Don Giovanni. Pleading with everyone, Leporello also manages to escape.

Leporello returns that night to his master in the cemetery where the Commendatore is buried. Among the tombstones is a large statue of the Commendatore which, to Leporello’s horror, starts talking to them! Don Giovanni, who is not afraid of the threatening statue, bravely invites the stone figure to dinner. The statue nods his head and accepts the invitation.

Later that night, Don Giovanni is enjoying his dinner while listening to his musicians play music by, who other, than Mozart himself! Donna Elvira bursts into the room and begs him to repent of his immoral ways. He refuses, and as she runs from the room, she screams in fright. She sees the statue of the dead Commendatore approaching the house.

Leporello hides under the table while Don Giovanni welcomes the statue. The Commendatore invites Don Giovanni to dine together and extends his hand in agreement. When Don Giovanni takes the hand of the statue, he is engulfed in flames. Unseen spirits announce that Don Giovanni is condemned, and he disappears in the smoke and fire.

COMPOSER

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the European city of Salzburg, Austria, in 1756. Mozart lived for only 35 years, but in that short period of time, he created some of the most beautiful and powerful music that is still beloved today. His father, Leopold, and maternal grandfather were also musicians, so it was only natural that he and his older sister Nannerl became immersed in the world of music.

Family Tour of Europe

Leopold Mozart was very ambitious and organized a European tour for his children. When he was only six years old, Wolfgang and his family left Salzburg to perform all over Europe. They performed at the best locations and, everywhere they went, people were excited to hear the child prodigy. Wolfgang amazed his audiences, including a royal court, by playing the harpsichord perfectly�even blindfolded! By the end of the tour, they were instantly famous and showered with useless gifts from royalty.

Another European Tour

It wasn’t long before the Mozart family went on their second tour, this time leaving Salzburg for three years. When the Mozarts arrived in Paris, France, news spread quickly. That December, they performed at the Palace of Versailles, home to the King of France. Wolfgang’s family continued their tour to England where he was warmly received by the King and Queen of England. The family spent an entire year in London where he composed his first symphony. Still less than nine years old, Wolfgang was already thinking about composing an opera!

The Celebrated Composer

As a teenager, Wolfgang played the violin and composed music in his native Salzburg, but life at home was not as exciting as when he toured in foreign countries.

Finally in August 1777, Wolfgang left Salzburg and was free to seek his fortune. Wolfgang was in Prague conducting Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) when he received a commission to compose a new opera, based on the story of Don Juan, called Don Giovanni. The preparation for the opera did not go well. It is rumored that the overture was not completed until two days before opening night in October 1787! Don Giovanni received great reviews in Prague, but was not well received in Vienna, Austria. Wolfgang struggled financially even though his final opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) was a grand triumph. Wolfgang died a pauper at age 35 in 1791 and was buried in an unmarked grave because his wife did not have enough money for a proper funeral. Today, no one knows exactly where Mozart is buried, but his music continues to live in concert halls and opera houses around the world.

Mozart as a young boy

Mozart (playing the piano) with his parents

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

LIBRETTIST

Lorenzo da Ponte, the librettist for Don Giovanni, lived to be 89 years old, and during his lifetime met extraordinary people while traveling the world.

He was born in a small village to Jewish parents near Venice, Italy, in 1749. Lorenzo’s birth name was Emanuele Conegliano, and he was a bit of a trouble-maker as a child. More concerned with having fun, he remained uneducated and unable to read until he was 14. Emanuele’s mother died when he was young, and his father wanted to remarry a Catholic. In order for the marriage to be valid, it was a custom of the time for the entire family to convert to Catholicism. Emanuele took the name of the local bishop, Lorenzo da Ponte. Under Bishop da Ponte’s guidance, Lorenzo studied classical literature, wrote poetry, became a professor, and a Catholic priest.

The Life of a Librettist

Important Note!

The words “Don” and “Donna” are not first names in this story. They are Italian titles similar to the English use of “Mr.” and “Mrs.”

Don: a man of noble rank

Donna: a woman of noble rank

life stories about Casanova as inspiration in his retelling of Don Giovanni. The pace of the writing was quick; Lorenzo wrote the libretto in just two months! Don Giovanni premiered on October 29, 1787, to great acclaim in Prague, but the opera failed in Vienna.

On the Road to New Opportunities

The court of the new Emperor, Leopold II, was growing jealous of Lorenzo’s success. They convinced Leopold II that Lorenzo was plotting against him and the librettist was banished from Vienna. Lorenzo and his wife were on their way to Paris, France, with a letter of introduction to Queen Marie-Antoinette (the sister of the late Emperor Joseph II). When he met his old friend Casanova again, he warned Lorenzo not to go to Paris because of the growing revolution. Anyone with connections to the Queen of France would be arrested. Casanova advised Lorenzo to go instead to London, England, where he became the poet to the King’s Theater, Haymarket (currently home to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera).

In 1781, Lorenzo arrived in Vienna, Austria, and soon began working for Emperor Joseph II. Two years later, Lorenzo met the gifted composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Wolfgang and Lorenzo became a dynamic pair as they transformed the world of opera to themes about everyday life. Audiences could truly relate to the characters who were more like themselves than operas about Greek gods or classical heroes. When Lorenzo first arrived in Venice he became friends with Giacomo Casanova, who was famous for his carefree lifestyle and many girlfriends. Lorenzo used the larger-than-

After ten years in London, Lorenzo sailed to the United States and became a grocer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was difficult, however, to support his family, so they moved again to New York City, where Lorenzo returned to teaching. Finally, Lorenzo found his passion and was successful. He wanted to bring his love of Italian music and literature to the young United States. Lorenzo became the first professor of Italian in the United States at Columbia College (Columbia University). He donated a large collection of Italian literature to the New York Public Library, The Library of Congress, and Columbia College, which remains a cornerstone of their collections today.

On August 17, 1838, just five months short of his 90th birthday, Lorenzo da Ponte died with his large American family at his side. His original burial site was moved, and today no one knows the exact location where da Ponte is buried— similar to Mozart. However, Lorenzo da Ponte led an exciting life as colorful as the opera tales he wrote.

Lorenzo da Ponte

New York City, NY

Philadelphia, PA

Washington, DC

SEVILLE, SPAIN

London, England –

A stop on one of Mozart’s European tours and, at one time, da Ponte’s home

Prague, Czech Republic –

The city where Don Giovanni premiered

Salzburg, Austria –Mozart’s birthplace

Paris, France –

A stop on one of Mozart’s European tours

Washington, D.C. –

Home to Washington National Opera

Vienna, Austria –

The capital city of Austria where Don Giovanni was performed after the opera made its world premiere in Prague.

Venice, Italy –Lorenzo da Ponte’s birthplace

New York City, NY –

Where da Ponte lived while a professor of Italian at Columbia College

Philadelphia, PA, –

Where da Ponte lived when he moved to the United States

Seville, Spain –

The setting for Don Giovanni

Many librettists and playwrights have set their stories in exotic places like Africa, Japan, and China. Many had never even visited these places, but had to imagine what they were like based on stories they had heard. Because the Don Juan legend originated in Seville, it was a natural setting for Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni Several other librettists were also attracted to Seville as an interesting setting for their operas.

Seville, the fourth largest city in Spain, has a very colorful history and culture. It is known for many things that are considered “typically” Spanish, including flamenco dancing, bull fights, festivals, gypsies, and tapas (Spanish snacks). Being in southern Spain and close to Africa, it has always had a reputation as very exotic. One reason Seville was seen as exotic is because the city has always been influenced by three very different cultures: Islamic, Jewish,

Don Giovanni’s

Giovanni’s World

Seville

Paris

and Catholic. In the 13th century, the Catholic Church officially took over the city through a series of holy wars, but much of the culture and architecture influenced by the other two religions remain an important part of the city’s heritage.

• If you set an opera in Seville today, what would it be about?

• Find Seville on a map. What is it like today? (Research the climate, industries, and culture.)

• How would Don Giovanni be different if it were set in another city?

Salzburg

Venice

Vienna Prague

Other operas set in Seville include:

Le Nozze di Figaro

(The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven

Il Barbiere di Siviglia

(The Barber of Seville) by Gioachino Rossini

Carmen by Georges Bizet

La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi

London

CHARACTERS

Don Giovanni (joe-VAHN-nee) nobleman of Seville baritone

Leporello (le-poh-REL-loh)

Don Giovanni’s servant bass

Donna Anna noblewoman soprano

Donna Elvira (el-VEE-rah)

Noble lady from Burgos soprano

Zerlina (zer-LEE-nah) peasant girl soprano

Masetto (ma-ZEHT-toe)

Zerlina’s peasant fiancé bass/baritone

Don Ottavio (oht-TAH-vee-oh)

Donna Anna’s fiancé tenor

Commendatore(koh-men-dah-TORE-ray)

Donna Anna’s father bass

THE MYTH OF DON JUAN

The opera Don Giovanni is based on a Spanish story called Don Juan. The popular story has been retold for hundreds of years and in many different cultures, though it originated in the early 1600s. Although it most likely began as an oral story, Tirso de Molina, a Spanish monk, was the first person to write it down in the form of a play, which he called The Prankster of Seville and the Stone Guest. Since then, many different versions of the story have been

adapted into plays, operas, symphonies, poetry, and films. At first, Don Juan was always seen as the villain, but his character later evolved into one with more complexity and depth. These qualities make him a more interesting and memorable character, one which can still be found in stories today.

• If someone were to say you were like Don Juan, what would that mean to you?

There are different styles of opera, and many people still don’t know which category Don Giovanni falls in. Mozart wanted to call it an opera buffa (or comic opera), but da Ponte wanted to call it a dramma giocosa (or humorous drama). Both of the categories suggest that Don Giovanni is a comedy. After reading the synopsis on page one, do you think that Don Giovanni is a comedy or a tragedy? What category would you put this opera in?

Mozart uses the music in Don Giovanni to help us identify a character’s social status. The aristocratic characters (Donna Anna, Don Ottavio and Donna Elvira) are usually very serious and often sing long, elaborate musical lines, while the peasant characters (Leporello, Zerlina, and Masetto) usually sing simpler music with shorter phrases. Even though the character of Don Giovanni is an aristocrat, he tends to adopt the vocal style of whomever he is with at the time (for example, when he sings with Zerlina, his music is simple, with short phrases; when he sings with Donna Anna, his lines are longer and more melodic). His music changes to demonstrate that his is able to communicate with people in lots of different situations, whether they are peasants or nobles. Although the opera is named after him, his music does not dominate the opera. He only has one short aria, and it does not really tell us anything new about him. We learn about Don Giovanni mostly through the other characters in the story.

A

Note About Trombones –

Before Don Giovanni, trombones were usually only used in church music and represented Hell (while harps were used to represent Heaven). Trombones were not normally used by orchestras until the time of Beethoven, which was many years after Don Giovanni premiered. Why do you think Mozart chose to use trombones in Don Giovanni?

Did You Know?

The standard pitch in Mozart’s time was a half-step lower than what is it today. That small difference makes Don Giovanni feel very high for today’s singers.

DIGUISE AND DECEPTION

The story of Don Giovanni is full of characters pretending to be someone else. Don Giovanni demands to switch hats and cloaks with Leporello so that he can look like a servant. It works! Even Leporello is mistaken as Don Giovanni! Later on, a group of villagers who are looking for revenge on Don Giovanni wear masks so that they are not recognized when they arrive at his house.

• Have you ever fooled anyone by dressing up like someone or something else?

• What role do costumes and disguise play in becoming a different character?

• If you could disguise yourself as someone else, who would it be? What would you do in your disguise?

EDUCATION

AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THESE FUNDERS:

as of September 4, 2007

$50,000 and above

Mr. and Mrs. John Pohanka

$25,000 and above

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$15,000 and above

D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts

John and Cora H. Davis Foundation

$10,000 and above

Clark-Winchcole Foundation

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The Honorable and Mrs. Jan M. Lodal

Prince Charitable Trusts

The Washington Post Company

$5,000 and above

Theodore H. Barth Foundation

Humanities Council of Washington, D.C.

$2,500 and above

Mr. Walter Arnheim

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Target

The K.P. and Phoebe Tsolainos Foundation

$1,000 and above

Dr. and Mrs. Ricardo Ernst

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Professor Martin Ginsburg

Horwitz Family Fund

Washington National Opera

Founded in 1956, Washington National Opera is recognized today as one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, Washington National Opera continues to build on its rich history by offering productions of consistently high artistic standards and balancing popular grand opera with new or less frequently performed works.

As part of the Center for Education and Training at Washington National Opera, Education and Community Programs provides a wide array of programs to serve a diverse local and national audience of all ages. Our school-based programs offer students the opportunity to experience opera first hand—through in-depth yearlong school partnerships, the acclaimed Opera Look-In, the District of Columbia Public Schools Partnership, and the Kids Create Opera Partners (for elementary schools), and the Student Dress Rehearsal (for high schools) programs. Opera novices and aficionados alike have the opportunity to learn about the season through the Opera Insights series, presented throughout the season on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. All Insights are free, open to the pubic, and archived on the WNO website. Outreach to the greater Washington D.C. community is achieved through our public Library Programs, the Family Look-In, and the Girl Scout Programs.

For more information on the programs offered by Washington National Opera, please visit our website at www.dc-opera.org or contact Education and Community Programs at 202.448.3465 or education@dc-opera.org

Some students at today’s event are participating in the Arts for Every Student Program, an initiative of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative.

CREDITS

Writers and Editors:

Christiane DeVries, Education Intern

Caryn Fraim, Associate Director, Education and Community Programs

Rebecca Kirk, Education and Community Programs

Associate

Michelle Krisel, Director, Center for Education and Training

Stephanie M. Wright, Education and Community Programs Manager

Design:

LB Design