I have always loved Mozart and Don Giovanni, and have seen several fantastic performances of it over the years. My favourites being the 1979 Losey film, the 1987 Ramey/Karajan production and the 1990 Met production. And this Don Giovanni is very good. By all means it is not a traditional-looking production, with the use of modern dress, but it is an imaginatively staged production with interesting use of a revolving forest stage and the dark lighting overall worked considering Don Giovanni's tone. There are a couple of staging disappointments such as the Burger King takeaway-idea at the dinner party, but most of the time it does because despite the lack of flames in the Commendatore scene that particular scene still has its impact.

The production is filmed beautifully, and looks fantastic with the picture quality. The sound is occasionally a little echoey in regard to the singers, but overall it is well balanced. Musically, this Don Giovanni is just outstanding. I'll be here all night saying how good Mozart's score is, one of his best works easily. The orchestration bring out the darkness, complexity and energy of the music brilliantly while also proving to be sensitive accompanists when needed, and the conducting never felt as though it was rushing or dragging even in the recitatives(where it could fall into the trap of being). This is especially true in the Commendatore scene. Giovanni's Serenade has a very soothing quality in it.

As for the principal singing, it is of an excellent standard, though perhaps nobody here is definitive in their respective roles. Judging from his performance as Giovanni, I can't wait to see more of Christopher Maltman. He showed a great voice, and he can also act, deranged and devilish yet very charming and seductive. Erwin Schrott is a very appealing Leporello, the voice is well-produced and has good style. His acting is bumbling and hilarious yet we love him for it. Matthew Polenzani from past experience has a beautiful and stylish voice but a rather dramatically stolid actor. Vocally, I wasn't disappointed, and I actually found his Ottavio very sympathetic.

Dorothea Roschmann delivers all the spite, heart and vocal fireworks needed for Elvira, and she also succeeds in bringing out the character's fire. Ekaterina Suiruna's Zerlina is warm, adorable and very witty, never falling into the trap of being too wan. La Ci Darem La Mano is full of vocal delicacy and Batti Batti has the wit and fire it should. And Annette Dasch is one of the better Donna Annas I've seen recently, after seeing a lot of uneven ones. Dramatically she is tragic and passionate if just lacking the amorous quality of the role. And the high register of her voice is never too laboured in pitch or agility, considering the difficulty of Non Mon Dir this is good.

Alex Esposito is a handsome and modest Massetto, both of which is effective. His chemistry with Suirina is effective on the whole. Anatoli Kotcherga's voice as the Commendatore positively booms, and dramatically while not as scary as his Shaklovity(Khovanshchina) it is much better than his rather lukewarm Grand Inquisitor at La Scala. Overall, this Don Giovanni is not one of my favourites but it is still very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

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Salzburger Festspiele 2008 - Don Giovanni

Haus für Mozart, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

Don Giovanni

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