DON GIOVANNI

It is a tale as old as human nature. The seemingly untouchable seducer, the naive victims, the cautious friends and the inevitable sticky end. In fact, one could be forgiven for thinking that it is rather foolish to attempt to breathe new life into Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

With this in mind, I went along to the Royal Opera House to find out exactly what is the enduring appeal of the most rambunctious rake in opera.

Kasper Holten’s new production of Don Giovanni sees a refreshingly youthful cast, headed up by the popular operatic baritone Mariusz Kwiecien. During the overture, the Palladian facade of Don Giovanni’s gargantuan bachelor pad becomes inscribed with the names of the thousands of women he has… played Scrabble with over the years.

This not only sets the scene for the next two-and-a-half hours, but it also introduces Luke Hall’s incredible video designs and Es Devlin’s set.

The first act opens with the murder of Donna Anna’s father (played respectively by the intense Malin Byström and formidable Alexander Tsymbalyuk) and plunges the audience into the depths of Donna Anna’s despair and Don Giovanni’s ruthlessness. As it progresses, we are introduced to the serenely distressed Donna Elvira and the charmingly rustic couple, Masetto and Zerlina. One quickly becomes very used to the idea that the singing is clear and fluff -free (yes, that is a technical operatic term). This means, rather wonderfully, that for once, one can appreciate the extremely high level of acting just as much as the singing.

The stage becomes home to deception after deception and is splattered with colour and masterful animation. Even the costumes become part of the increased debauchery with black paint marks apparently increasing as time goes on.


The final scene of reckoning was, of course, unforgettable, not least because (in contrast with the previous two-and-a-bit hours) it was deliberately minimalist. Where the props department would have once had a field day in preparation for the final banquet, all that was present on stage for the last crucial moments was a bottle of wine, a bone and Don Giovanni’s mental inner turmoil.

However, I am a sucker for a bit of blood and guts and would have liked at least one or two disgruntled imps lurking in the background (even some of Halls’ animation would have been suffi cient).

This is Don Giovanni at its best. It is a delight for the ears and eyes, combining baroque decadence, a fabulously simple set and superb vocal technique. Prepare to be seduced.

Until 24 February at Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London WC2: 020-7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk