Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia

Synopsis     

ACT I

Garden at the entrance of the Commendatore’s palace in Seville. Night has fallen
Leporello, Don Giovanni’s servant, complains about how fed up he is of being at his master’s service: he is hungry and cold, does not have much money, and must hang around while his master amuses himself seducing women. Don Giovanni appears closely followed by Donna Anna. He has tried to seduce her and she is trying in vain to identify him. The noise they are making wakes her father, the Commendatore, who challenges the trickster to a duel. Donna Anna runs for help. Don Giovanni leaves the old man fatally injured and runs off with his servant. Donna Anna returns with her fiancé, Don Ottavio, and several servants. But it is too late, the Commendatore is dead and she pleads with Don Ottavio to avenge her father’s death. 

A street on the outskirts of the city. Dawn is breaking
Donna Elvira, a lady from Burgos, appears in travelling attire. She has just arrived in Seville in search of a lover who left her. Don Giovanni approaches with Leporello, prepared to seduce her. He discovers, much to his surprise, that it is Donna Elvira, one of his former conquests, and he quietly creeps away. Meanwhile, Leporello consoles Donna Elvira showing her an endless list of his master’s conquests, to make her see that she is neither the first nor the last woman to fall victim to Don Giovanni. 

There is a change of scene and Masetto and Zerlina make their appearance. The two peasants are celebrating their wedding in the company of other villagers. Don Giovanni and Leporello arrive. The suitor is attracted to Zerlina and orders his servant to invite all the villagers to a ball at his palace, especially Masetto in order to get rid of him and be free to woo Zerlina. Alone with the young lady, Don Giovanni tries to get round her with his charm, but his plans are ruined with the appearance of Donna Elvira, who warns Zerlina of the type of man Don Giovanni is, and she leads the girl away. 

Don Ottavio and Donna Anna enter and ask Don Giovanni to help them find the Commendatore’s murderer. Don Giovanni is relieved to find they have not recognised him. Donna Elvira appears again, a little agitated, and tries to persuade Don Ottavio and Donna Anna not to trust Don Giovanni. Don Giovanni leaves. Donna Anna suddenly recognises his voice as that of her father’s murderer, and she begins to worry. She tells Don Ottavio what happened that fateful night, and asks him once more to avenge his death. 

Garden of Don Giovanni’s palace
Zerlina and Masetto are reconciled. Don Giovanni appears with new plans to win the heart of Zerlina. He invites the young couple and all the villagers to a ball at his palace. Don Ottavio, Donna Anna and Donna Elvira arrive in disguise to spy on Don Giovanni. Leporello sees them and invites them to the ball too. 

Inside Don Giovanni’s palace
Everyone is dancing and enjoying themselves at the ball. Taking advantage of one of the dances, Don Giovanni manages to guide Zerlina to one of the rooms in the palace to seduce her, but the girl cries for help. Don Giovanni accuses Leporello of harassing the young girl. Then Don Ottavio, Donna Anna and Donna Elvira remove their disguises, and to the surprise of their host, they blame Don Giovanni for what has happened. The suitor flees the palace with his servant as soon as he is able to.

ACT II

Opposite Donna Elvira’s house. Night has fallen
Leporello ponders on resigning from his work for Don Giovanni. His master arrives and gives him some coins to bribe him into staying with him. Together they plan to woo Donna Elvira’s maid, and they exchange their clothes so that Don Giovanni does not appear to be so well-dressed. But Donna Elvira appears on the balcony instead of her maid. Don Giovanni hides behind Leporello and apologises to Donna Elvira, pretending to be sorry, while Leporello acts out his master’s words. 

Donna Elvira goes down to the street and Leporello, imitating Don Giovanni’s voice, awkwardly begins to seduce her. Don Giovanni gives them a fright in the dark and they both run off. He is now free to woo Donna Elvira’s maid, but Masetto and other villagers arrive in search of Don Giovanni to kill him. Taking advantage of the fact that he is still dressed as Leporello, he pretends to want to join them in their search and, once the others have left and he is alone with Masetto, Don Giovanni gives Masetto a beating with his own sword and runs off. Later, Zerlina affectionately consoles Masetto. 

Front courtyard of Donna Anna’s house
Still dressed in Don Giovanni’s clothes, Leporello tries to escape from Donna Elvira. The situation becomes even more complicated when Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, Zerlina and Masetto appear. Leporello then reveals his identity to escape a punishment he does not deserve. Leporello manages to get away while the others are distracted. Don Ottavio decides to seek justice.

Graveyard. Next to the Comendatore’s statue
Leporello finds Don Giovanni in the graveyard, next to the Comendatore’s statue. Their conversation is interrupted by his ghostly voice. Leporello is terrified, but Don Giovanni is unperturbed. Furthermore, he invites the statue to dinner at his palace that very evening. 

A room in Donna Anna’s house
Don Ottavio consoles Donna Anna and asks her to marry him without delay. But she says she is still grieving her father and their marriage will have to wait. 

Dining room in Don Giovanni’s palace
Leporello is serving dinner to Don Giovanni. Donna Elvira appears, begging Don Giovanni to change his way of life. Once she has left, the statue of the Commendatore enters and asks Don Giovanni to repent. When Don Giovanni refuses to repent, he is swallowed by the flames of hell. The other characters appear and Leporello tells them what has happened to Don Giovanni. They all seem to take comfort in what has happened.