Filmed opera. German production.
The music was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the libretto was written by Lorenzo da Ponte; the opera was originally named Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni (The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni), and premiered in 1787; it was based on a Spanish play traditionally attributed to Tirso de Molina named El burlador de Sevilla, y convidado de piedra or, in another version, Tan largo me lo fiais; the first version of it is estimated to have been written between 1612 and 1625.
After an unsuccessful rape attempt against Donna Anna, Don Giovanni kills his victim's father ('the Commendatore') in self-defense. Donna Anna's fiancé Don Ottavio promises her to avenge her father's death and her own rape attempt. Don Giovanni later meets Donna Elvira, a woman with whom he had a relationship and who hates him for leaving her. Next Don Giovanni runs into a marriage procession and feels attracted towards the bride Zerlina. He schemes to separate her from the procession and from the bridegroom. Once he is alone with her, she responds to his courtship. (The rest of the entourage was sent to Don Giovanni's castle where he promised them a big party.) Unfortunately for Don Giovanni's plans, however, Donna Elvira approaches and starts badmouthing Don Giovanni in front of Zerlina, causing her to change her mind. After a series of further adventures and misadventures, Don Giovanni meets his doom in the hands of... the statue of the Commendatore!
This is the second adaptation of this opera that I have seen, the previous one being that famous 1979 cinematic adaptation filmed in realistic sets. To be frank, I didn't remember a thing about it (I saw it more than 35 years ago!). As usual, I don't have many reliable opinions about the singing; for me they were all good. As for the music, I must have said it before: I am not a great enjoyer of Mozart, finding his music merely agreeable. The plot has above average entertainment value as operas go, but, really, I don't understand how this could have once become such a popular and prestigious form of art.
(I don't rate operas numerically.)
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