DON GIOVANNI

Co-production of the National Theatre in Belgrade and Opera & Theatre Madlenianum

Premiere: 28.11.2017
Director: Alberto Triola (Italy)
Conductor: Marco Boemi (Italy)

Soloists, choir and orchestra of the National Theatre in Belgrade

In the anniversary year, when the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum marks two decades of its existence and successful work, for the first time we have set one of the most famous title- Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, one of the most mature piece of arts from the last opus of the great master of music.  The special curiosity of this production is the fact that it is the result of cooperation with the National Theatre in Belgrade and this is the first co-production of our sole two opera theatres in the capital city.   

It is generally known that Amadeus Mozart has, during 35 years of his short life, created an incredible opus of over 600 compositions of various formats and contents, including 20 operas, 49 symphonies, 26 string quartets, 25 piano concerts, 18 sonata for piano, many other chamber pieces, as well as numerous cantatas, masses and the unrepeatable Requiem in D minor.

The Opera Don Giovanni stands side by side with the masterpieces of Mozart, such as The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute and Cosi fan tutte and therefore it is the matter of prestige for each theatre in the world to have at least one masterpiece of the child prodigy from Salzburg.  Don Giovanni is the third Mozart’s opera set on the stage of the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum (Cosi fan tutte 2002. and The Magic Flute 2013.).  

In this firs co-production of a private and state theatre in our region, the soloists, choir and the orchestra of the National Theatre in Belgrade will appear on the stage of the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum, direction is in the hands of an experienced Italian opera director, Alberto Triola and the monumental set design is also signed by a guest from Italy, Tiziano Santi. The great performing apparatus is under the baton of Marco Boemi. This is a modern, interesting and witty opera that will certainly attract great attention of the audience.

Summary:

The plot of this opera in two Acts is full of ambiguity- not only textual, but musical as well. It revolves around Don Giovanni’s relationship with three women- Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Zerlina. With the help of his servant, Leporello, he goes from one to another seduction.  

However, when she tries to rape Donna Anna, the fiancée of Don Ottavio, everything goes wrong and the debauchee kills her father, Commendatore, in a duel. In the meantime, the mysterious Donna Elvira, the former Don Giovanni’s victim who wants to get revenge on him, arrives in town. In search of new challenges, the seducer is always trying to charm the beautiful shepherdess Zerlina as well, who is supposed to marry Masetto.

Anna, Ottavio, Masetto, Elvira and Zerlina decide to join together in order to punish the offender, but each time he, with Loperollo’s help, succeeds in escaping them. For some time he manages, through his cunning, to avoid the revenge of all those who he has hurt, but eventually he pays for sins.

Running away, he gets to the cemetery where the statue of Commendatore comes to life. Instead of being scared, Don Giovanni decides to invite a ghost statue to dinner. Elvira, who still loves Don Giovanni, begs him to change. When he refuses, the Statue arrives for a visit, asking him to repent. However, nothing can make Don Giovanni change his nature and that is why the hell opens in front of him and the demons drag him down to it.