Don Giovanni Flashcards

Question

Steptoe (1988) DG source

Answer 1

Nature of the audience for which the opera was written and the position of Prague in the late 18th century as potential reasons for why they set this text? Original – Tirso de Molina El Burlador de Sevilla – Don Juan story. Reduced to clown piece in German speaking world.

Answer 2

Less satisfying dramatic structure than Figaro. Unity of purpose throughout the work. Elimination of musical numbers which impeded the flow of the story. Grouping successive musical numbers into broader harmonic units to retain their harmonic structure and identity. overture linking opening theme and duet Central focus of D (major and minor) in DG. Key of Bb major employed as a contrast to D minor/major throughout. Associations between harmony and drama expanded in DG beyond sonata form. Dramatic climax with the Stone Guest and DG himself. Zerlina far removed from DA and reflected in musical range. Elvira mediates between A and Z and appears with both on different occasions.

Answer 3

Mozart’s music depicts him as a much emptier character, with phallic narcissism as a way of surviving a psychic catastrophe by projecting his pain onto others. 1787 version later changed for Vienna Intensity and darkness of statue’s music that begins and almost ends the opera contrasted with sexualised rush of DG. Guilt as the key to mania – persecutory and depressive. DG emptiness as a character and his inability to tolerate guilt are connected. sexual psychopathy in relation to oedipus Living in the phallus of omnipotent father and has no character of his own - masks to fit whoever he is with pervasive darkness under beauty

Answer 4

excess of pride act of defiance of the Gods outrage DG provokes the dead by inviting Commendatore to dinner. divine justice not human justice nothing more stable than death

Answer 5

Not related to parents – its displaced to Donna Anna and fatherly figure of Commendatore gets in the way. Superego C punishes DG

Answer 6

Rushton says modern audiences might find the ending too neat. Beckerman calls the scene ‘somewhat hollow’. Evidence that they intended to cut it for Vienna. Was cut for France later Two endings found to be more or less acceptable at different time periods. By choosing the less ‘tragic’ solution Da Ponte also chose the less dramatic one. How the others will resolve their stories remains unclear without the final scene. Final scene ending in a presto D major in diatonic style with trills and semiquavers induce many to interpret as one more expression of joyous comic endings. Dido factor – ambiguity of feeling that may result when the wrong person acquires tragic status and sympathy by suffering horrific death onstage.

Answer 7

Enlightenment liberating people from the fear of death which had given the church power over Christians. SInger - human fear of death not damnation? Enlightenment rationalising the supernatural and believing in just universe. Don Juan popular buffoon by this point sensualist not seducer - women as objects of consumption to him attempted seduction of those about to marry bourgeois libertarian - quest for liberty but disintegration at fulfilment, materialist pleasure Damnation of DG both real to the extent that the Enlightenment recognized the importance of a belief in the avenging powers of God and not real in the extent that Mozart and Enlightenment thinkers considered themselves personally exempt from the need for such beliefs. Institutions of church and state not in the opera.

Answer 8

Resolution hanging on a characters moment of realisation and revelation. Cherubino not resolved. Comic character – not there for the plot. Count no longer a problem for Cherubino in the same way. All couples still together – his flirting resolved? Parallels to Leporello and resolution with DG.

Answer 9

Tonal triangle playing key part to the opera D – D minor – Bb. Tutti ff chord of G# diminished 7 announces stone man. Names Giovanni and moves to D minor (last of triangle). Long period of harmonic instability and chromaticism. Statue’s chromatic melody underpinned by dissonance. Giovanni and Leporello’s melodic lines crossing over each other and sharing voice-leading so yes and no become hard to distinguish. Few motivic relations.

Answer 10

Connecting 16th century improvised comedy and 18th century court entertainment and opera buffa, as well as Romantic and later concerns through DG opera. Don Juan’s seductions as metaphor for theatre itself and the performative force. Faithful to generic and local opera buffa conventions. Includes fantastic and supernatural events as well as spectacular ones. Each production and performance has to establish what is seen and how and what the elements are that reactivate an older work. Recorded visual records of previous performances.

Answer 11

long periods of tonal instability and chromaticism arise in the statue scene in which the Commandatore statue materialises and kills Don Giovanni a tutti diminished seventh chord to announce the presence of the statue which then begins the chromatic melody and continued dissonance for the statue and its interactions final scene that follows is thus crucial to the opera’s end as the chromatic movement slows and returns to the joyful major key from the beginning, returning the audience to what audience’s would likely have expected

Answer 12

Donna Elvira expressing her anger by disrupting the set of the dress shop. She is talking to the other characters but in a sense only communicating her internal monologue. Don Giovanni and Leporello making their interjections from another part of the stage, unseen by her. When she realises it is him she physically pushes him around.

Answer 13

DE wandering round a garden in white with veil. Leporello and Don Giovanni are on ground level making their interjections whilst she sings from a higher level. Dressed in period dress. They are in close proximity to her movements but she doesn’t see them. The veil over her head obscures the facial expressions she makes. At the end they are right behind her, she delays turning round to face them.

Answer 14

Leporello’s catalogue on iPad, reading the list to Donna Elvira who becomes gradually more interested. Leporello trying to get DE interested, she elicits minimal reaction and is sat on the sofa trying not to acknowledge or look at him. By the end is more like he is communicating with the audience. Donna Elvira takes the iPad and seemingly exploring it – it is magnified onto a larger screen the audience can see whilst she examines pictures of women he has on there (seems to be her). She gets more uncomfortable at the photos (become explicit). Leporello playful in movement – across the sofa falling and rolling. Pretends to be Don Giovanni seducing a woman at the end until DE pushes him away.

Answer 15

Leporello and DE go to sit on the steps of the big house, he unveils a huge scroll as the prop for this catalogue. Seems factual exploration, takes her through the paper which unfolds all the way down the stairs as he continues. Physical representation of the catalogue enhances comic aspect. Two servants bringing two further catalogues then appear. Very formal in setting but the prop makes it more ridiculous. Leporello continues round the grounds as they still unfold. Shows Count’s flirting through his own actions with the servant girls on the grounds, stroking their faces as they line up for him. Camera switches to woman washing (alarmingly young), interaction of staring faces turns Leporello into a creep. Ends by zooming into Donna Elvira’s face.

Answer 16

Zerlina and talking flirting, Zerlina trying to get M to feel ok about her and DG. Very physically close, Masetto clearly in control and moves her around with seeming ease. DG then enters with chorus planning party and Zerlina re-emerges. Z comes across as quite naïve in this production, hides within plain sight. DG physically manipulates Z but she looks scared, of DG? Of M finding out? DG attempts to lead her away straight into Masetto. Masetto will have none of Z’s physical attraction attempts. Three in disguise is subtly. Party is DG showcasing his photography and winning. Onstage orchestra shown with conductor. Leporello distracts M with camera as DG takes Z. Party continues as M becomes more angry and masked singers continue.

Answer 17

Zerlina and Masetto outside. Don Giovanni flirting in the kitchen (chorus are in the kitchen but they are seen and heard – not seen singing). DG and Zerlina physically close – shows she is nearly taken by him until Masetto reveals outrage. Mask sitch is strange – weird all black costumes and they arrive by boat. The sublime bit of music for three masked figures highlighted by view of ornate and religious ceiling. Visible orchestra for the three mased figures. Don Giovanni and Zerlina and peasants dancing – no seen orchestra. Party outside. Crowd gathering to break down door. Unmask as they sing their line in the trio that follows. Looking at the masked figures like they are insane? DG attempts to flee. Big thunder and lightning crash as DG stands in the doorway to massive house with everyone looking at him.

Answer 18

DE smoking alone on chair – she looks rather depressed. DA and DO appear very much loved up. Four characters around L won’t let DE close to start with. L then reveals himself – he is on the floor with all others standing. Interacting with DE again, all against L instead of her. They put him in the bin (DE is apart from the rest).

Answer 19

Inside – maybe basement setting. DG and L have masks of each other’s faces which are rather alarming. All characters coming together in front of the ensemble to sing the rest of the sextet? Paired together: L and DE, DA and DO and Z and M. DE showing compassion and physical affection for someone she believes to be DG (obvs L). This pairing are in the middle with the others and chorus watching. L revelation DE looks outraged. Functions a bit like finale with everyone onstage.

Answer 20

DG not having to bear the weight of the significance that figure of DJ expresses Later writers of DJ narrative influenced by the opera - forever changing character Dg presented always in action, no deep insight into character or inner thoughts 'characterless seducer' at centre of opera pursuing women but not the ideal of marriage - liberates them in a way? DA ponte reminds us that DG is a member of the nobility who deploys rank and money to get what he wants Count and Figaro belong to the world in which they are presented and this is reflected in their actions but DG exploits his position

Answer 21

19th century commentators seeing DG as heroic character irresitible to women juxtaposition of comic and terrifying music emphasis of serious character in DA, DE, DO and contrast to DG DJ story and abusing privileges of class - attempted rape, flase oaths, blasphemy, abusing marriage, cruel to L, refuses repentence

Answer 22

Ottavio as the epitome of enlightened nobility. not an understood character comic operas suggest nobility is permanent - no cross-rank marriage DA and DO friends with DE even after not knowing her becuase of her class DO more trusting of DG due to high class noble simplicity of DO

Don Giovanni Flashcards

(46 cards)