PLOT

PROLOGUE

A figure of a mysterious maiden dressed in white emerges from the shadows. She is followed by three women: Donna Elvira, Donna Anna and Zerlina. Slowly they approach a grave and kneel.

We are about to witness a symbolic ritual in which Don Giovanni will come to life and once again follow the path of his destiny.


ACT I

Don Giovanni's servant Leporello lurks in the shadows outside Donna Anna's house, where his master dressed in disguise, sneaked in earlier to seduce her. The long wait has left Leporello bored. Time passes.

Discovering his subterfuge, Donna Anna runs out shouting for help and tries to unmask Don Giovanni, but he hides his face in the shadows. Her father, the Commendatore comes to the rescue and challenges him to a duel. Though unwilling to fight, when provoked Don Giovanni accepts the challenge, and fatally wounds the Commendatore. The figure of the maiden in white hovers like an ill omen over the dying man and Don Giovanni is gripped with fear.

When Donna Anna returns she discovers that her father is dead. Her betrothed, Don Ottavio finds her grieving over the body of the Commendatore. She urges Don Ottavio to swear on the blood of her father that together they will seek out the culprit and avenge the Commendatore's death.

Leporello reproaches his master who is already contemplating his next love affair. A mysterious beauty that they meet in church has caught his attention. It transpires that the lady in question is Donna Elvira, the abandoned former mistress of Don Giovanni. Clearly disenchanted by this discovery, he spurns Dona Elvira and leaving her to Leporello, disappears.

Leporello adds insult to injury by giving the despairing Elvira an account of his master's conquests (Madamina, il catalogo e questo), revealing to her Don Giovanni's true nature.

Meanwhile, Don Giovanni has found new prey in the peasant-girl Zerlina, who having just got married walks with her beloved Masetto in a procession of revellers. He invites the wedding party to a ball at his house, thus hoping to dispose of the guests and have her to himself. Despite Masetto's protestations, all are led away by Leporello.

Don Giovanni bewitches the naive Zerlina with his manner. He seduces her, proposes and urges her to succumb to his charms (La ci darem la mano). As he toys with the vulnerable Zerlina and is about to get his way, Donna Elvira appears and warns the bewildered girl against the cynicism of her seducer.
At the graveside of the Commendatore, Donna Anna and Ottavio ask Don Giovanni to help find her father's murderer. Relieved not to be under suspicion, he brazenly offers his services. When Donna Elvira tries to warn them against Don Giovanni, he denounces her as a madwoman and ushers her out.

Following his hasty departure, Donna Anna in a flash of inspiration recognizes her attacker and vehemently divulges this discovery (Or sai chi l'onore). Don Ottavio joins her in seeking revenge (Dalla sua pace).

Meanwhile Don Giovanni persists in his seduction of Zerlina and throws a banquet in honour of the newly-weds (Fin ch'han dal vino). Zerlina asks the jealous Masetto to forgive her flirtatious behaviour with Don Giovanni (Batti, batti, obel Masetto). To test her, Masetto conceals himself, but quickly emerges from his hiding place when Zerlina meets Don Giovanni, realising that his beloved is in no fit state to resist the charms of her seducer. Unperturbed, Don Giovanni escorts them to the ball during which he hopes to carry out his iniquitous plan…

Three masked figures (Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Ottavio) emerge from the shadows. They have come to expose Don Giovanni's true character and to thwart his plans. Leporello cordially invites them to join the party.

A libertine banquet commences, its promiscuity offending the newly arrived guests. Masetto is prepared for the worst. The fun and games are interrupted by desperate cries for help from Zerlina whom Don Giovanni has dragged off to his bedchamber. Everyone hurries to her rescue. Exposed, Don Giovanni tries to shift the blame on to Leporello, but no one believes him. Anna, Elvira and Ottavio remove their masks and accuse Don Giovanni of murdering the Commendatore. Maintaining his composure Don Giovanni forces his way through the crowd and escapes together with his servant.


ACT II

Leporello threatens to resign from his master's dangerous service. Don Giovanni bribes him however, by drawing him into a new intrigue. He changes clothes with his servant, so that Leporello may get a taste of being Don Giovanni and experience the world of temptation from a new and as yet unknown perspective. He orders him to act the part with Donna Elvira and to profess his love for her, thus subjecting her to further torture.

He himself remains in servant';s attire in order to entice with a serenade, the latest object of his desire. Unexpectedly, he becomes riddled with doubt and weary of his way of life. As he sings (Deh, veni alla finestra), the mysterious maiden in white appears again, foreshadowing another world which before long will open its doors bringing him consolation...

Masetto arrives with a few companions, seeking to bring Don Giovanni to justice. The latter throwing them off the scent by adamantly pretending to be Leporello, sends the peasants home then beats up Masetto and flees. Zerlina, alerted by Masetto's moans, runs to comfort him.

Leporello disguised as Don Giovanni tries to extricate himself from Donna Elvira's newly rekindled passion. Deciding to flee, he runs into Don Ottavio and Donna Anna, who are convinced they have caught the real perpetrator. In desperation Leporello reveals his face. Elvira, crushed and devastated, remains alone expressing her pain and horror over Don Giovanni's deeds (Mi tradi queli'alma ingrata).

Leporello meets his master in the cemetery at the Commendatore's graveside. As Don Giovanni recounts his adventures with carefree abandon, a voice resounds warning him that by dawn his laughter will be silenced. Leporello realizes to his horror that they heard the voice of the Commendatore. With defiant mockery, Don Giovanni invites the Commendatore to the evening banquet.

Don Ottavio and Donna Anna come to the Commendatore's graveside. Ottavio wishes to bring forward the wedding day, but Anna refuses to give it any consideration until the death of her father is avenged (Non mi dir).

The evening banquet is about to commence. There is a strange atmosphere. Don Giovanni can sense death in the air as if participating in some form of funereal carnival. He notices the mysterious maiden in white waiting for him… Don Giovanni knows it is an omen, but is more determined than ever not to acquiesce to anything, wanting to exercise his free will to the bitter end even if it means his downfall and undoing...

When Donna Elvira rushes in, hoping that her caring love will induce him to show remorse and return to her, Don Giovanni dismisses her with utter contempt. Elvira leaves and suddenly her loud cries can be heard. Leporello runs to see what has happened and returns all of a tremble to announce the arrival of the invited 'Guest'. The ghost of the Commendatore demands an act of contrition from Don Giovanni. He refuses and accepting his fate with head held high audaciously offers his hand to the Commendatore who drags him into the fires of hell.

The others run in and Leporello tells them of his master's terrible demise. In the finale six protagonists relate the moral lesson of the justifiable punishment suffered by Don Giovanni.


Translation Anna Kaspszyk