The Awkwardness of the Penultimate Scone of Don Giovanni
[Unfinished]
April, 2022
Apprentice RJ
The story of Don Juan is well known, if only from the dramatic conclusion where he is taken to Hell. Due to this Divine intervention, no amount of grieving and swearing revenge alters the plot. In the famous opera, Mozart and his librettist, da Ponte, contend with this limitation by several methods, one of which is mistaken identity, found throughout the second act and, to draw out the drama, Don Giovanni remains ignorant that his villainy has been discovered until the end of the first act.
The full title of the opera is “Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, literally The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni” [Wikipedia]. The use of “or” in the title suggests to the experienced reader that there is an underlying message in the work. Of course, there is no doubt that Don Giovanni is the rake, or the “man who was habituated to immoral conduct, particularly womanizing”, who is punished.
Don Giovanni is aware of himself and this awareness manifests as confidence. Leporello records this confidence: in Italy, six hundred forty; in Germany, two hundred thirty-one; a hundred in France; in Turkey, ninety-one; and in Spain, one thousand three. During Leporello’s tenure, Don Giovanni had 2,065 conquests.
In the finale, Donna Elvira asks Don Giovanni that he chance his life [Che vita cangi!], which he refuses, since women and good wine sustain the glory of humanity [Sostegno e gloria d'umanità]. Shortly thereafter, when Don Giovanni is confronted with the Statue’s demand for him to repent [Pentiti, cangia vita,è l'ultimo momento!], he remains defiant [ No, no, ch'io non mi pento].
Don Giovanni does not succumb to fear, ignorance, or superstition, that is to say, he resists the state, the mob, and the church. As the statue represents Divine intervention, it can readily be assigned to the Church, where the morality of judgment and the superstition of Hell, or eternal torment, holds sway. Zerlina and Massetto represent the common people and their naivete, who after these extraordinary adventures with Don Giovanni and learning of his supernatural demise, simply go home to have dinner.
Don Ottavio and Donna Anna represent the upper class who benefit from involvement with the state and, therefore, they support the authority of the state. Fear is the quality assigned to the state, as it has the power of violent death over its subjects. Although Don Ottavio has a pistol at the end of act one, he does not have a clear shot of Don Giovanni, and so, as a gentleman, he does not fire. Because she retired to a convent and desires Don Giovani to change his life, or repent, Donna Elvira can also be assigned as the feminine and nurturing aspect of the church.
The durations for the following sections are from the 1987 Salzburg Festival conducted by Herbert von Karajan,
The full title of the opera is “Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, literally The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni” [Wikipedia]. The use of “or” in the title suggests to the experienced reader that there is an underlying message in the work. Of course, there is no doubt that Don Giovanni is the rake, or the “man who was habituated to immoral conduct, particularly womanizing”, who is punished.
Don Giovanni is aware of himself and this awareness manifests as confidence. Leporello records this confidence: in Italy, six hundred forty; in Germany, two hundred thirty-one; a hundred in France; in Turkey, ninety-one; and in Spain, one thousand three. During Leporello’s tenure, Don Giovanni had 2,065 conquests.
In the finale, Donna Elvira asks Don Giovanni that he chance his life [Che vita cangi!], which he refuses, since women and good wine sustain the glory of humanity [Sostegno e gloria d'umanità]. Shortly thereafter, when Don Giovanni is confronted with the Statue’s demand for him to repent [Pentiti, cangia vita,è l'ultimo momento!], he remains defiant [ No, no, ch'io non mi pento].
Don Giovanni does not succumb to fear, ignorance, or superstition, that is to say, he resists the state, the mob, and the church. As the statue represents Divine intervention, it can readily be assigned to the Church, where the morality of judgment and the superstition of Hell, or eternal torment, holds sway. Zerlina and Massetto represent the common people and their naivete, who after these extraordinary adventures with Don Giovanni and learning of his supernatural demise, simply go home to have dinner.
Don Ottavio and Donna Anna represent the upper class who benefit from involvement with the state and, therefore, they support the authority of the state. Fear is the quality assigned to the state, as it has the power of violent death over its subjects. Although Don Ottavio has a pistol at the end of act one, he does not have a clear shot of Don Giovanni, and so, as a gentleman, he does not fire. Because she retired to a convent and desires Don Giovani to change his life, or repent, Donna Elvira can also be assigned as the feminine and nurturing aspect of the church.
The durations for the following sections are from the 1987 Salzburg Festival conducted by Herbert von Karajan,
Don Giovanni is taken to Hell Leprello explains Don Giovanni’s disappearance 103 seconds [1:43] Donna Anna and Don Ottavio 117 [1:57] Donna Elvira 7 Zerlina and Massetto 7 Leporello 8 Leporello, Zerlina, and Massetto 3:03:39 32 FInal Chorus 3:05:22 103 seconds |
Ends at
2:59:05 3:00:48 3:02:45 3:02:52 3:02:59 3:03:07 |
Duration
NA 103 seconds [1:43] 117 [1:57] 7 7 8 32 103 |
It is obvious that the duet between Donna Anna and Don Ottavios is the longest among Donna Elvira, Zerlina and Massetto, and Leprorello. Notably, this duet is longer than the final chorus.
The translation of the lyrics of Don Otavio and Donna Anna are:
Now, my treasure, that we have been avenged by Heaven, grant me my reward, do not let me pine any more. -Don Otavio
My dearest, let me mourn for one year more. -Donna Anna
A lover must yield to the desires of one who adores him, -Don Otavio and Donna Anna
The awkwardness of this section is notable in a full performance. For almost two minutes, Leporello, Donna Anna, Zerlina, and Massetto have no interaction with the singers, as Donna Anna and Don Otvatio are speaking to one another. They can either stand or mill around the stage, as shown in the 1987 Salzburg Festival version, waiting for their turn. The length and accompanying awkwardness of this duet must be intentional, yet the significance is not obvious.
Leporello relates Don Givoanni’s prodigious conquests before the opera begins, yet Don Giovanni fails at every attempt during the opera and perhaps the most disappointing failure is Zerlina. We write “fails” and not “seems to fail” as we suggest that the seduction of Donna Anna occurs before the opera. We do not assign Donna Anna with Zerlina as a failure, since we propose that Don Giovanni successfully seduced Donna Anna.
Of course, the libretto does not state that Don Giovanni had Donna Anna.
The opera begins with Leporello wishing that he was no longer a servant and could live as a gentleman.
(Leporello hides. Enter Don Giovanni and Donna Anna; she is clinging to his arm.)
There's no hope, unless you kill me, that I'll ever let you go! -Donna Anna
Idiot [Foolish woman] ! You scream in vain. Who I am you'll never know! -Don Giovanni
Help! Everyone! The betrayer! -Donna Anna
Keep quiet! Beware my wrath! -Don Giovanni
Scoundrel! -Donna Anna
Fool! -Don Giovanni
Help! Everyone! -Donna Anna
Keep quiet! -Don Giovanni
Like a desperate fury I'll know how to pursue you!
Scoundrel! Help! Everyone! Like a desperate fury I'll know how to pursue you! -Donna Anna
This desperate fury is aimed at destroying me!
Fool! Keep quiet! This desperate fury is aimed at destroying me! -Don Giovanni
Leporello
Sforzar la figlia,
After three hours
William Murray, 1961
DON OTTAVIO
Now, my treasure, that we have been avenged by Heaven, grant me my reward, do not let me pine any more.
DONNA ANNA
My dearest, let me mourn for one year more.
DON OTTAVIO and DONNA ANNA
A lover must yield to the desires of one who adores him, etc.
DONNA ELVIRA
I shall retire to a convent to end my life there!
ZERLINA and Masetto
We, Masetto/Zerlina, will go home to dine together!
LEPORELLO
And I'll go to the tavern and find myself a better master.
ZERLINA, MASETTO, LEPORELLO
So the wretch can stay down there with Proserpine and Pluto.
And we, good people, will now gaily sing to you the old, old refrain.