Production features a topnotch cast from around the world
Opening Opera Colorado’s 41st season includes a thrilling new production of the classic opera, Don Giovanni. Along with the music by Mozart and the libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, it is often considered to be one of the world’s greatest operas and scores. Directed by David Lefkowich with music director/conductor Ari Pelto, Opera Colorado delivers an exceedingly incredible production with top-notch performers from around the world.
As the story goes, Don Giovanni (Bruno Taddia) is nothing less than a supreme cad — and that’s letting him off easy. Today he would be a direct target for the “Me Too” movement with his behavior toward women being quasi-psychopathic often ending in ultra-promiscuous behavior and bordering on sexual assault. Giovanni is accompanied by his unhappy manservant Leporello (Joshua Bloom) through thick and thin, all the while constantly begging Giovanni to change his womanizing ways.
For the next three hours, we see Giovanni’s constant pursuit of women, past and present starting with Donna Anna (Danielle Pastin) the daughter of the Commendatore (Kevin Thompson) who is killed in a dual with Giovanni over his behavior toward his daughter. As Giovanni lusts after Donna Anna, she turns to her fiancé Don Ottavio (John Bellemer) for comfort.
Soon we hear from Donna Elvira (Ellie Dehn), a previous jilted lover, lamenting a past paramour who happens to be Giovanni. Later on, Giovanni and Leporello come across a happy couple, Zerlina (Kerby Baier) and Masetto (Turner Staton), who are celebrating their wedding day. It doesn’t take long for Giovanni to have his eyes set on Zerlina while trying desperately to extricate her from her betrothed.
As Act One draws to a close and Act Two begins, Donna Elvira exposes Giovanni for the louse he truly is, and Donna Anna becomes convinced that it was Giovanni who murdered her father. Leporello has been watching all of this play out and threatens to quit, prompting Giovanni to offer a financial incentive to stay with him. There is an exchange of wardrobes in Act Two, thus mixing Giovanni and Leporello to confuse all involved with their newly dishonest identities. Eventually, all parties involved think it is time for Giovanni to get what he deserves, and it plays out to the finish as Giovanni ultimately lands in hell — much to the horror of Leporello. However, to the delight of the others, they are assured that Giovanni will never be heard from again.
The exceptionally gifted vocal talent of the cast of Don Giovanni hails from around the United States and the world. All performers in the starring roles bring with them years of training and performance credits. We are treated to the best of the best in this production, with several making their Opera Colorado debut, while others are artists-in-residence striking all the notes with great emotion and intensity. For anyone concerned that the opera in its native Italian will not be understandable, subtitles are streaming in the seats in front of each audience member as well as high above the proscenium.
Hailing from Pavia, Italy, Taddia could not be more delightfully despicable as Don Giovanni. He is unrelenting in his pursuit of women, all the while not expressing any remorse for his contemptible behavior. Taddia brings both elements to the surface, creating a character that is both single-minded and truly evil by any day’s standards.
Bloom brings the long-suffering manservant to life in the role of Leporello with great charm. He provides insight into the life of someone bound to another, willing to do whatever they ask, and ill-equipped to extricate himself from that relationship. As Masetto, Staton is ideal as the fresh-faced soon-to-be-wed husband to Zerlina. Watch him closely in the final scene as he displays a very comedic side to his otherwise tortured character.
The women of Don Giovanni are equally as impressive as their male counterparts. Of special note is Dehn as Donna Elvira, who laments Don Giovanni one minute and is out to slay him the next while capturing the essence of love gone sour and seeking revenge. Both Pastin and Baier in the roles of Donna Anna and Zerlina provide wonderful characterizations that advance the storyline superbly.
This is a magnificent production with extraordinary scenery and costumes attributable to Lawrence Shafer and Howard Tsvi Kaplan. The accompaniment is provided by Opera Colorado Orchestra, conducted by Ari Pelto, and is finely tuned to the overall musical expression bringing Mozart’s score to life. Along with solid direction by David Lefkowich and an excellent cast, Don Giovanni hits all the right notes and holds the audience spellbound, culminating in a well-deserved standing ovation.
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