As the civil rape case against former president Donald Trump heads to its conclusion, the Minnesota Opera opens its no holds barred production of “Don Giovanni,” about a rich nobleman who rapes, lies and kills with abandon in an unrepentant descent into hubris.
Opening night took place on Saturday, May 6, with Mario Antonio Marra taking the reins as conductor, filling in for the Grammy award-winning conductor Karen Kamensek.
Views on sexual assault and consent have no doubt evolved since “Don Giovanni” premiered in 1787, though as evidenced by E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit and Trump’s own recorded “grab ‘em by the p—” statement, societal opinions on these topics still vary widely.
Back in the 18th century, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte didn’t seem to have any doubts that Don Giovanni’s behavior was unacceptable. The original title was “Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni” (The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni). It’s at once a morality tale and a comic opera. Its antihero is as slimy and awful as a person could possibly be, and yet the piece is framed from his perspective, as he attempts to charm not only others around him to get his way, but the audience as well.
Comic? Oh yes, there are some antics that got laughs opening night, helped along by an assortment of supporting characters, including Don Giovanni’s reluctant co-conspirator and servant Leporello, played by Thomas Glass.
As the title character, Seth Carico leans toward a villainous portrayal rather than a charismatic one. His Don Giovanni is filled with self-loathing. The fun he talks about having doesn’t seem to be all that fun even for him. Vocally, Carico captures the gravity of Don Giovanni’s moral decline, and embraces the nobleman’s refusal to give up his sordid trajectory even when faced with hell itself.
Stage director Keturah Stickann’s vision doesn’t sugarcoat the issues at play. The first lines in the opera begin with Leporello complaining about his boss, and Donna Anna (Symone Arcum) chasing Don Giovanni after an assault. In Minnesota Opera’s production, Stickann begins the action earlier, showing Giovanni raping Donna Anna as the overture plays. The scene disquiets, and sets the violent tone for the rest of the opera.
The three female leads bring life to the performance as characters with varying moral standing themselves. As the revenge-seeking Donna Anna, Symone Harcum matches the purity of her lovely soprano voice with a focused, somber demeanor full of grief. Sara Gartland ably tackles the complexity of Donna Elivira, who still has feelings for Don Giovanni despite her wanting to tell the world of his misdeeds.
As the flighty and easily seduced Zerlina, Leah Brzyski balances the weight of the other two with lightness. She’s a feminine counterpart to Don Giovanni, in that she’s a woman who schemes herself in pursuit of her own sometimes less-than-pure desires. Zerlina’s famous duet with Don Giovanni, “Là ci darem la mano,” (There we will give each other our hands), soars in the first act.
At three hours long, the opera is a bit of a haul, but the dramatic, supernatural ending is worth the wait. Mary Shabatura’s lighting design and Liliana Duque Piñeiro’s set design of contrasting angles and curves both support the fireworks in the music, as Don Giovanni barrels toward his self-created fate.
Minnesota Opera’s ‘Don Giovanni’
- When: 7:30 p.m. Thu., May. 11 & Sat., May 13, 2 p.m. Sun., May 14, 7:30 p.m. Thu., May 18 and Sat., May 20, 2 p.m. Sun., May 21
- Where: The Ordway, 345 Washington St, St. Paul
- Tickets: $26-$224
- Capsule: Minnesota Opera takes a dark look at Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”
