Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Mozart weaves the tale of the legendary rake Don Juan into a comically lighthearted (yet deadly serious) musical masterpiece. When Don Giovanni’s antics turn fatal and unrepentant, the women he has discarded seek revenge.
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Prepare to meet the legendary Don Juan in this musical retelling of the ultimate womanizer’s famous story, considered perhaps one of the greatest operas ever written. Enter the corrupt and wicked world of Don Giovanni (Italian for Don Juan), a ladies’ man with no scruples who’s determined to break as many hearts as possible. Don’t worry though, the opera’s not all drama and despair. There’s plenty of comic relief along the way. So enjoy yourself…but watch out for talking statues. Cuesheet PERFORMANCE GUIDE Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA DRESS REHEARSAL WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART’S Don Giovanni Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte Directed by John Pascoe Conducted by Philippe Auguin
Transcript
Prepare to meet the legendary Don Juan in thismusical retelling of the ultimate womanizer’sfamous story, considered perhaps one ofthe greatest operas ever written.
Enter the corrupt and wicked world ofDon Giovanni (Italian for Don Juan),a ladies’ man with no scrupleswho’s determined to breakas many hearts as possible.Don’t worry though, theopera’s not all drama anddespair. There’s plentyof comic relief alongthe way. So enjoyyourself…butwatch out fortalking statues.
David M. RubensteinChairman
Michael M. KaiserPresident
Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education
Michael L. MaelExecutive Director
Francesca ZambelloArtistic Advisor
David and Alice Rubenstein are thePresenting Underwriters of WNO.
The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Programis made possible through the generoussupport of The Morris and GwendolynCafritz Foundation.
Support for Washington National Operaeducation programs is provided by PrinceCharitable Trusts, The Paul M. Angell FamilyFoundation, The Morningstar Foundation,The Jacob and Charlotte LehrmanFoundation, and National Capital Arts andCultural Affairs Program and the U.S.Commission of Fine Arts.
Additional support for Performances forYoung Audiences is provided in part by TheClark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V.Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Maxand Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; TheMorris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation;the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. AngellFamily Foundation; an endowment from theRyna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation;the U.S. Department of Education; theVerizon Foundation; Washington Gas; andby generous contributors to the Abe FortasMemorial Fund, and by a major gift to thefund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widowof Abe Fortas.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge
Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, aneducation program of the Kennedy Center.ARTSEDGE is a part of Thinkfinity.org, aconsortium of free educational Web sites forK-12 teaching and learning.
Learn more about Education at The KennedyCenter at www.kennedy-center.org/educationThe contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarilyrepresent the policy of the U.S. Department ofEducation, and you should not assume endorsementfrom the Federal Government.
Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing itwith friends!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...� Operagoers tend to agree that Don Giovanni is an operawith a split personality; it has elements of the moreserious operatic tradition of Mozart’s day, but also haslots of humor. Which characters seem serious to you?Which ones are funny? Why? Do some characters haveboth qualities?
� Consider the three women in the opera. Which femalecharacter do you think handles herself best? What doyou think Mozart and Da Ponte’s feelings were aboutthese three ladies? Or about women in general? Do themusic and lyrics for each character say somethingspecial about her? How?
� Opinion is often divided about Don Giovanni. Do youthink Mozart and Da Ponte meant him to be a villain? Ifso, who is the hero?
WHAT TO LISTEN AND WATCH FOR...� How the music of the very beginning of the opera andthe music of the final spooky scene sound very similar.These musical moments are linked by the same set ofnotes or key. Do you think the key holds a specialsignificance? What is it?
� How disguises and masks are used in the opera. Whydo you think these are necessary to tell the story? Doyou think the disguises work? Why or why not?
� HowMozart inserts popular tunes from other operas intothe last scene. One of the songs (playing when Leporellosays, “I know this tune well”) is a musical in-joke: Itcomes from Mozart’s own opera, Le nozze di Figaro.
CuesheetP
ER
FO
RM
AN
CE
GU
IDE
Performances for Young Audiencesis made possible by
Don Giovanni fights his way out of a sticky situation.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERADRESS REHEARSAL
WOLFGANGAMADEUSMOZART’S
DonGiovanniLibretto by Lorenzo Da PonteDirected by John PascoeConducted by Philippe Auguin
Don Giovanni or Il dissoluto punito (“DonJuan” or “The Punished Degenerate”) marksthe second collaboration betweenWolfgangAmadeus Mozart and Italian librettist LorenzoDa Ponte, who was reportedly quite a ladies’man himself. Evidence suggests Da Ponte stolemost of the story from a rival composer/lyricistteam, but he was most likely also inspired byseveral plays.
ACT ILeporello (leh-pohr-ELL-oh), Don Giovanni’s(dohn jyoh-VAHN-ee) manservant, waitsoutside the home of the Commendatore(koh-men-dah-TOR-eh), while his master triesto seduce the Commendatore’s daughter,Donna Anna (DOHN-ah AH-nah). Things don’tgo as planned and a masked Giovanni appearspursued by Anna, who screams that her honorhas been insulted. Her father suddenly arrives,challenging Giovanni to a duel. In the scuffle,the Commendatore is killed by Giovanni.Finding her father dead, Donna Anna and herfiancé, Don Ottavio (dohn oh-TAHV-ee-oh),swear revenge on the disguised killer.
At dawn, Don Giovanni crosses paths withDonna Elvira (DOHN-ah ell-VEE-rah), his formergirlfriend. She, too, is bent on revenge, butLeporello distracts her by showing her a list ofGiovanni’s many other lovers.
Don Giovanni and Leporello escape Elvira anddiscover a country wedding celebration, whereGiovanni immediately sets his sights on thebride, Zerlina (tsehr-LEE-nah). Elvira stops himand saves Zerlina just as Donna Anna and DonOttavio arrive and, ironically, ask Giovanni forhelp in avenging the Commendatore. DonnaElvira warns the couple that Giovanni is notwhat he seems, but she is ushered away. Alonewith Ottavio, Anna realizes Giovanni is the manwho attacked her.
MAIN CHARACTERSDon Giovanni, a young noblemanLeporello, his servantCommendatore, a noblemilitary commanderDonna Anna, his daughterDon Ottavio, her fiancéDonna Elvira, Giovanni’s former loveZerlina, a peasant girlMasetto, her fiancé
ABOUT WOLFGANGAMADEUS MOZARTBoy genius WolfgangAmadeus Mozart(1756–1791) was bornin Salzburg, Austria toa family of musicians(his father was a well-known composerand his sister was an accomplishedinstrumentalist). A keyboard whiz by agefour and a composer by age five, Mozarttraveled and performed throughout muchof Europe, eventually settling inVienna as afreelance artist.Mozartmastered a variety ofmusical forms fromconcertos to symphoniesto operas and beyond, and his unique andunmistakable sound is a trademark ofWestern music’s Classical era.
ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERAOriginally founded in 1956, WashingtonNational Opera (WNO) ranks as one oftoday’s largest American opera companies.As an affiliate of the John F. KennedyCenter for the Performing Arts, WNOpresents several operas each year at theKennedyCenterOperaHouse andperformsthroughout the city, offering training andenrichment programs year-round. In thepast decade,WNO has reachedworldwideaudiences through international broadcasts.
To learn more about opera visitwww.kennedy-center.org/artsedgeand click the tag “opera”Leporello (disguised as Don Giovanni)
taunts the lovesick Donna Elvria.
Later, Don Giovanni throws a party anddaringly invites Zerlina and her (very jealous)fiancé, Masetto (mah-ZEHT-oh). Anna, Ottavio,and Elvira appear in masks and Giovanni, notrecognizing them, allows them in. At the ball,Giovanni tries to whisk Zerlina away, but shescreams and Masetto, Elvira, Anna, and Ottaviocome to her aid.
ACT IIHaving escaped the party unscathed, Giovanniand Leporello exchange clothes so Giovanni,dressed as a servant, can woo Donna Elvira’spretty maid. Elvira unexpectedly appears,confessing she still loves Giovanni. Giovannithen forces Leporello to play the part of hismaster, flatter Donna Elvira, and take her away.Once alone, Giovanni serenades his new love,but barely finishes before Masetto bursts inwith an angry mob, looking to capture theDon. Giovanni pretends to be Leporello andtricks the men into leaving him alone withMasetto, whom he mercilessly beats.
After surviving a confusing confrontation withElvira, Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto,Leoprello meets up with Don Giovanni at acemetery. As the two discuss Giovanni’swicked deeds, Giovanni laughs defiantly, onlyto be cut short by a mysterious voice tellinghim to, “Leave the dead in peace.” The twomen discover that the voice comes from thestatue of none other than the Commendatore.Unfazed by this, Don Giovanni orders Leporelloto invite the statue to dinner.
As Don Giovanni readies his dinner table,Donna Elvira appears and pleads with him torepent, but Giovanni refuses and sends heraway. As she leaves, she lets out a blood-curdling scream. The statue ghost has arrived.Giovanni boldly opens the door, resigned toaccept his fate—whatever it may be.
All photos by Karin Cooper
About Mozart’s DonGiovanniAbout Mozart’s DonGiovanni
Don Giovanni or Il dissoluto punito (“DonJuan” or “The Punished Degenerate”) marksthe second collaboration betweenWolfgangAmadeus Mozart and Italian librettist LorenzoDa Ponte, who was reportedly quite a ladies’man himself. Evidence suggests Da Ponte stolemost of the story from a rival composer/lyricistteam, but he was most likely also inspired byseveral plays.
ACT ILeporello (leh-pohr-ELL-oh), Don Giovanni’s(dohn jyoh-VAHN-ee) manservant, waitsoutside the home of the Commendatore(koh-men-dah-TOR-eh), while his master triesto seduce the Commendatore’s daughter,Donna Anna (DOHN-ah AH-nah). Things don’tgo as planned and a masked Giovanni appearspursued by Anna, who screams that her honorhas been insulted. Her father suddenly arrives,challenging Giovanni to a duel. In the scuffle,the Commendatore is killed by Giovanni.Finding her father dead, Donna Anna and herfiancé, Don Ottavio (dohn oh-TAHV-ee-oh),swear revenge on the disguised killer.
At dawn, Don Giovanni crosses paths withDonna Elvira (DOHN-ah ell-VEE-rah), his formergirlfriend. She, too, is bent on revenge, butLeporello distracts her by showing her a list ofGiovanni’s many other lovers.
Don Giovanni and Leporello escape Elvira anddiscover a country wedding celebration, whereGiovanni immediately sets his sights on thebride, Zerlina (tsehr-LEE-nah). Elvira stops himand saves Zerlina just as Donna Anna and DonOttavio arrive and, ironically, ask Giovanni forhelp in avenging the Commendatore. DonnaElvira warns the couple that Giovanni is notwhat he seems, but she is ushered away. Alonewith Ottavio, Anna realizes Giovanni is the manwho attacked her.
MAIN CHARACTERSDon Giovanni, a young noblemanLeporello, his servantCommendatore, a noblemilitary commanderDonna Anna, his daughterDon Ottavio, her fiancéDonna Elvira, Giovanni’s former loveZerlina, a peasant girlMasetto, her fiancé
ABOUT WOLFGANGAMADEUS MOZARTBoy genius WolfgangAmadeus Mozart(1756–1791) was bornin Salzburg, Austria toa family of musicians(his father was a well-known composerand his sister was an accomplishedinstrumentalist). A keyboard whiz by agefour and a composer by age five, Mozarttraveled and performed throughout muchof Europe, eventually settling inVienna as afreelance artist.Mozartmastered a variety ofmusical forms fromconcertos to symphoniesto operas and beyond, and his unique andunmistakable sound is a trademark ofWestern music’s Classical era.
ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERAOriginally founded in 1956, WashingtonNational Opera (WNO) ranks as one oftoday’s largest American opera companies.As an affiliate of the John F. KennedyCenter for the Performing Arts, WNOpresents several operas each year at theKennedyCenterOperaHouse andperformsthroughout the city, offering training andenrichment programs year-round. In thepast decade,WNO has reachedworldwideaudiences through international broadcasts.
To learn more about opera visitwww.kennedy-center.org/artsedgeand click the tag “opera”Leporello (disguised as Don Giovanni)
taunts the lovesick Donna Elvria.
Later, Don Giovanni throws a party anddaringly invites Zerlina and her (very jealous)fiancé, Masetto (mah-ZEHT-oh). Anna, Ottavio,and Elvira appear in masks and Giovanni, notrecognizing them, allows them in. At the ball,Giovanni tries to whisk Zerlina away, but shescreams and Masetto, Elvira, Anna, and Ottaviocome to her aid.
ACT IIHaving escaped the party unscathed, Giovanniand Leporello exchange clothes so Giovanni,dressed as a servant, can woo Donna Elvira’spretty maid. Elvira unexpectedly appears,confessing she still loves Giovanni. Giovannithen forces Leporello to play the part of hismaster, flatter Donna Elvira, and take her away.Once alone, Giovanni serenades his new love,but barely finishes before Masetto bursts inwith an angry mob, looking to capture theDon. Giovanni pretends to be Leporello andtricks the men into leaving him alone withMasetto, whom he mercilessly beats.
After surviving a confusing confrontation withElvira, Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto,Leoprello meets up with Don Giovanni at acemetery. As the two discuss Giovanni’swicked deeds, Giovanni laughs defiantly, onlyto be cut short by a mysterious voice tellinghim to, “Leave the dead in peace.” The twomen discover that the voice comes from thestatue of none other than the Commendatore.Unfazed by this, Don Giovanni orders Leporelloto invite the statue to dinner.
As Don Giovanni readies his dinner table,Donna Elvira appears and pleads with him torepent, but Giovanni refuses and sends heraway. As she leaves, she lets out a blood-curdling scream. The statue ghost has arrived.Giovanni boldly opens the door, resigned toaccept his fate—whatever it may be.
All photos by Karin Cooper
About Mozart’s DonGiovanniAbout Mozart’s DonGiovanni
Prepare to meet the legendary Don Juan in thismusical retelling of the ultimate womanizer’sfamous story, considered perhaps one ofthe greatest operas ever written.
Enter the corrupt and wicked world ofDon Giovanni (Italian for Don Juan),a ladies’ man with no scrupleswho’s determined to breakas many hearts as possible.Don’t worry though, theopera’s not all drama anddespair. There’s plentyof comic relief alongthe way. So enjoyyourself…butwatch out fortalking statues.
David M. RubensteinChairman
Michael M. KaiserPresident
Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education
Michael L. MaelExecutive Director
Francesca ZambelloArtistic Advisor
David and Alice Rubenstein are thePresenting Underwriters of WNO.
The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Programis made possible through the generoussupport of The Morris and GwendolynCafritz Foundation.
Support for Washington National Operaeducation programs is provided by PrinceCharitable Trusts, The Paul M. Angell FamilyFoundation, The Morningstar Foundation,The Jacob and Charlotte LehrmanFoundation, and National Capital Arts andCultural Affairs Program and the U.S.Commission of Fine Arts.
Additional support for Performances forYoung Audiences is provided in part by TheClark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V.Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Maxand Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; TheMorris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation;the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. AngellFamily Foundation; an endowment from theRyna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation;the U.S. Department of Education; theVerizon Foundation; Washington Gas; andby generous contributors to the Abe FortasMemorial Fund, and by a major gift to thefund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widowof Abe Fortas.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge
Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, aneducation program of the Kennedy Center.ARTSEDGE is a part of Thinkfinity.org, aconsortium of free educational Web sites forK-12 teaching and learning.
Learn more about Education at The KennedyCenter at www.kennedy-center.org/educationThe contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarilyrepresent the policy of the U.S. Department ofEducation, and you should not assume endorsementfrom the Federal Government.
Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing itwith friends!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...� Operagoers tend to agree that Don Giovanni is an operawith a split personality; it has elements of the moreserious operatic tradition of Mozart’s day, but also haslots of humor. Which characters seem serious to you?Which ones are funny? Why? Do some characters haveboth qualities?
� Consider the three women in the opera. Which femalecharacter do you think handles herself best? What doyou think Mozart and Da Ponte’s feelings were aboutthese three ladies? Or about women in general? Do themusic and lyrics for each character say somethingspecial about her? How?
� Opinion is often divided about Don Giovanni. Do youthink Mozart and Da Ponte meant him to be a villain? Ifso, who is the hero?
WHAT TO LISTEN AND WATCH FOR...� How the music of the very beginning of the opera andthe music of the final spooky scene sound very similar.These musical moments are linked by the same set ofnotes or key. Do you think the key holds a specialsignificance? What is it?
� How disguises and masks are used in the opera. Whydo you think these are necessary to tell the story? Doyou think the disguises work? Why or why not?
� HowMozart inserts popular tunes from other operas intothe last scene. One of the songs (playing when Leporellosays, “I know this tune well”) is a musical in-joke: Itcomes from Mozart’s own opera, Le nozze di Figaro.
CuesheetP
ER
FO
RM
AN
CE
GU
IDE
Performances for Young Audiencesis made possible by
Don Giovanni fights his way out of a sticky situation.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERADRESS REHEARSAL
WOLFGANGAMADEUSMOZART’S
DonGiovanniLibretto by Lorenzo Da PonteDirected by John PascoeConducted by Philippe Auguin
