–Don Giovanni introduzione is preceded by the overture sinfonia (at this point, no longer a three-movement suite but a single quick movement in binary form)
–Mozart uses an andante, which is out of the ordinary and which foreshadows grim
resolution of the plot
–In the D.G. introduzione, a murder takes place before the eys of the audience
–Overall, D.G. is a farce, except for the introduzione and the final resolution
–The overture is essentially the same form as the J.C. Bach sonata allegro; one theme in the tonic which is a fanfare, two contrasting dominant themes, form-defining cadence on dominant, then motion to FOP, eventual double return; for Mozart, there is a coda which unexpectedly modulates to prepare for first vocal number of introduzione
–Introduzione
–First vocal number is a march-like ritornello by Leporello
–Then Don Giovanni enters, pursued by angry Donna Anna; they sing a tense trio that
fails to make complete closure
–Commander, Donna Anna’s father, enters in response to her screams; trio between
Commander, D.G., and Leporello
–The introduzione is under 200 measures, but it introduces four characters, shows an
attempted arrest and a murder, and has moved through many keys...the impact of the
sustained dramatic tension of this section was huge
–After introduzione, Donna Anna and her fiancé Don Ottavio vow revenge; D.G. and Leporello come across Donna Elvira, who rebuffs him; Leporello comforts her with the catalogue aria
–Next, at a peasant wedding, D.G. invites everyone to his house in an attempt to seduce the bride, Zerlina; the groom, Masetto, gets angry; Donna Elvira arrives and warns Zerlina off; Donna Anna and Don Ottavio arrive, don’t recognize D.G., but when Elvira tips them off they join forces to bring him to justice; Donna Anna sings a noble aria of vengeance and Don Ottavio sings of his devotion to her
–Two more arias before first finale: D.G.’s madcap “Champagne aria;” and Zerlina’s appeasing of Masetto
–Act I finale: begins and ends in C Major, good for trumpets and a FOP of sorts for the beginning and end of the whole opera
–Quarrel duet between Masetto and Zerlino
–Wedding party heads inside D.G.’s house, he detains Zerlina outside, she resists him
–There is “in-person,” on stage music in D.G.’s house, but it’s silenced by the sudden
appearance of Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, and Donna Elvira, wearing masks
–Leporello doesn’t recognize them; they are invited in
–Masked trio sings an inward prayer for revenge
–Everyone participates in Don’s dancing; three dances, played by three sub-orchestras
in different corners of the room (minuet, follia, allemande)
–Leporello distracts Masetto, but then follows D.G. and Zerlina when he sees that she is fearful; offstage, Zerlina lets out out a bloodcurdling scream for help
–Everyone panics; D.G. drags Leporello to the ballroom and accuses him of being Zerlina’s attacker; the masked trio, not fooled, reveal themselves to D.G., who runs
–Act II leads to D.G.’s downfall
–In first scene, he is as farcically brazen as ever, attempting to woo Elvira’s maidservant
–In second scene, Donna Anna and Donna Elvira waver in their hatred of D.G.
–In third scene, D.G. has fled to a graveyard after dallying with Leporello’s love interest
–The voice of the Commander appears from beyond the grave; D.G. discovers
Commander’s monument, D.G. asks Leporello to invite the statue to dinner; the
statue nods assent
–Next scene is a tender moment for Don Ottavio and Donna Anna
–Finale is also a party scene with stage music (wind octet which plays actual music from
1787 opera buffa repertory, including a hit tune from Le nozze di Figaro)
–The three opera excerpts help to establish tonal pattern for remainder of finale,
which is the same as the opening tonalities of the introduzione)
–Donna Elvira arrives to suddenly warn D.G. of his impending doom; he derides her
–She runs away but screams; Leporello investigates and says it’s the statue, D.G. opens the door, undeterred (at that moment, harmony matches that of D.G.’s death thrust when he killed Commander)
–Trio of three basses as statue advances, D.G. scoffs, and Leporello trembles
–Horrifying music when statue touches D.G.; brand new for opera buffa!
–To end, the remaining characters are assembled onstage as would be traditional for buffa; Anna, Elvira, Ottavio, Zerlina, Masetto, who all interrogate Leporello about D.G.’s fate; Ottavio and Anna make plans to marry, Elvira announces she’s going to a convent; Zerlina and Masetto agree to patch things up, Leporello look for a better master
–Mozart’s genius at combining voices of characters in finales was influential; “the history of opera during the 19th c. could be described as the genre’s gradual transformation into one great big continuous ‘finale,’ lasting from curtain to curtain”