NEW PRODUCTION

Sung in Italian with surtitles in English and Welsh

Running time approximately 3 hours including one interval

Supported by the WNO Partnership

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Synopsis

Act 1
Night. Outside the Commendatore’s house. Leporello waits for Don Giovanni, and grumbles at having to work for his master: he’d rather be a gentleman. Giovanni comes out of the house in disguise, pursued by Donna Anna. Her father, the Commendatore, comes out, challenges Giovanni, and is murdered by him. Giovanni and Leporello go. Anna and her fiancé Ottavio find the Commendatore’s body, and swear revenge on his murderer.

Dawn. A square. Leporello reproves Giovanni for his dissolute life. Giovanni hears - and scents - a woman: it is Elvira, the wife he has abandoned. Elvira denounces him for betraying her. Giovanni absconds, leaving Leporello to explain. Leporello shows her the lengthy catalogue of his master’s conquests.

Zerlina, Masetto and a group of villagers enter, singing and dancing. Giovanni learns that Zerlina is about to get married, and arranges for Leporello to entertain Masetto and the rest while he sets about seducing her. When Masetto refuses to go, Giovanni threatens him, and he leaves unwillingly along with Leporello and the villagers. Giovanni proposes marriage to Zerlina, and is about to lead her towards his summer-house when Elvira appears and warns Zerlina against Giovanni. The two women leave.

Ottavio and Anna enter. They do not know that Giovanni is the Commendatore’s murderer, and ask his help in obtaining revenge. Elvira returns and warns Anna and Ottavio against Giovanni. They begin to have their doubts and, as Giovanni follows Elvira off, Anna realises that Giovanni was the man who tried to rape her and then killed her father. Ottavio expresses his disbelief that Giovanni, his friend, could have committed the crimes, and confirms his empathy with Anna.

The grounds of Don Giovanni’s house. Giovanni returns home, and Leporello reports on how he managed to keep Masetto occupied. He tells how they were interrupted by Elvira escorting Zerlina back to Masetto, and how he led Elvira out of the garden and locked the gate behind her. Giovanni plans a party at which he intends to add another ten names to his list of conquests.

The villagers are recuperating after the first festivities. Masetto rebukes Zerlina, and she tells him to beat her if he likes, but then to make peace. They make up, and hear Giovanni coming. Zerlina is fearful, and suggests they escape. Masetto suspects that Zerlina is frightened of his finding out what really happened between her and Giovanni and forces her to stay, while he hides in order to overhear Zerlina and Giovanni together. Zerlina tries to hide when Giovanni comes in, but when he has sent the villagers inside to the party, he stops Zerlina escaping and attempts once more to seduce her. When Masetto comes out of hiding, Giovanni leads them inside to the party.

Anna, Elvira and Ottavio then enter in disguise. Giovanni invites them inside. At the party Giovanni offers refreshments to the peasants and flirts with Zerlina. Masetto begins to lose his temper. Anna, Ottavio and Elvira come in. Then Giovanni calls the band to play a minuet. A contredanse begins, and he leads Zerlina forward. Leporello dances an allemande with a reluctant Masetto, to keep him occupied, and the three dances play simultaneously. In the excitement Giovanni manages to abduct Zerlina. She screams for help, and the three maskers hurry to help her. Giovanni claims that Leporello is the perpetrator, but the maskers, Zerlina and Masetto say they know everything and denounce him.

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