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Don Giovanni

Composer and librettist

Music:W.A. Mozart.Lyrics:Lorenzo da Ponte.

Libretto

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Première

First performance at Tyl-theatre in Praha at the 27 of October 1787.

ACT 1

At night outside the commendatore´s palace, Leporello grumbles about his duties as serwant to Don Giovanni, a dissolute nobleman. Soon the masked Don appears, pursued by Donna Anna, the commendatore´s daughter, whom he has tried to seduce. When the commendatore himself answers Anna´s cries, he is killed in a duel by Don Giovanni, who escapes. Anna now returns with her fiancé, Don Ottavio. Finding her dead father she makes Don Ottavio swear vengeance to the assassin.

At dawn, Don Giovanni flirts with a high-strung traveller. She turns out to be Donna Elvira, a former mistress. Don Giovanni escapes while Leporello distracts Elvira by reciting his master´s long catalog of conquests. Peasants arrive, celebrating the nuptials of their friends Zerlina and Masetto; when Don Giovanni joins in, he pursues the bride, angering the groom, who is removed by Leporello. Alone with Zerlina, Don Giovanni applies his charm, but Elvira interrupts. When Elvira returns to denounce him as a seducer. Donna Anna and Don Ottavio appear. Anna realizes that Don Giovanni is her attacker.

During the festivities, Leporello entices Masetto into the dance as Don Giovanni draws Zerlina out of the room. When the girl´s cries for help put him on the spot, Don Giovanni tries to blame Leporello., but no one is convinced; Elvira, Anna and Ottavio unmask and confront Don Giovanni, who barely escapes.

ACT 11

Leporello exchanges cloaks with Don Giovanni to woo the lady in his master´s stead: Leporello leads Elvira off, leaving Don Giovanni to serenade Elvira´s maid. When Masetto passes with a band of armed peasants bent on punishing Don Giovanni, the disguised rake gives them false directions, then beats up Masetto. Zerlina arrives and tenderly consoles her betrothed.

Elvira and Leporello are surprised by Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto, who, mistaking serwant for master, threaten Leporello. Frightened, he unmasks and escapes. When Anna departs, Ottavio affirms his confidence in their love. Elvira, frustrated at her second betrayal by Don Giovanni, voices her rage.

Leporello catches up with his master in a cemetery, whera a voice warns Don Giovanni of his doom. This is a voice of the commendatore, which Don Giovanni proposes Lewporello invite to dinner. When the serwant reluctantly stammers an invitation, the dead Commendatore accepts.

In her home,Donna Anna, still in mourning, puts off Don Ottavio´s offer of marriage until her father is avenged.

Leporello is serving Don Giovanni´s dinner when Donna Elvira rushes in, begging Don Giovanni, whom she still loves, to reform. But he waves her out contemptuously. At the door, her sreams announce the dead Commendatore. Don Giovanni boldly refuses warnings to repent, even in the face of death. Flames engulf his house, and the sinner is dragged to hell.

Among the castle ruins, the others plan their future and recite the moral: such is the fate of a wrongdoer.

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