Don Giovanni is a return to 18th century traditions

Yes, this is definitely Don Giovanni, but it’s not the one we all know and love by Mozart. The story of the lecherous lover Don Juan formed the theme of several 18th century operas and Giuseppe Gazzaniga’s version appeared in 1787, only a few months before Mozart’s. The plots are very similar and it seems very likely that Mozart’s librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte, pinched several ideas from Gazzaniga’s story.

Remarkably, Gazzaniga was one of the most prolific composers of his time. He is known to have written over fifty comic operas but this is the only one that has survived. Even more remarkably, the current production at the Britten Theatre of the Royal College of Music is hugely enjoyable.

When an opera has been neglected for a couple of centuries, there is usually a good reason for it, but Gazzaniga’s music is much better than expected. Of course, it is not as good as Mozart’s and considerably less exciting and stirring but is delightfully jolly throughout and proves to be an inspired choice by the RCM.

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The director, Louise Bakker, has not only coaxed excellent performances from a very talented, young cast, but enhanced the music (delightfully played by the RCM Opera Orchestra under experienced conductor Michael Rosewell) by incorporating a few compositions by other composers of the time, including Salieri and Mozart himself.

In revenge for Da Ponte pinching the idea of an aria detailing Don Giovanni’s conquests in various countries, Bakker steals that entire Mozart aria for this production. Rather than being a cheeky modern misdemeanour, this is a return to 18th century traditions, when composers often borrowed from each other and soloists were prone to adding their own favourite arias to new works.

Scottish tenor Marcus Swietlicki (Don Giovanni) and Scottish baritone Daniel Barrett as his servant Pasquariello (who becomes Leporello in the Mozart opera) form a delightful comic duo throughout the opera, and the dastardly Don’s conquests were beautifully sung by Russian soprano Alexandra Dunaeva (Donna Anna), Australian soprano Georgia Melville (Donna Elvira), South Korean soprano Henna Mun (Maturina) and British mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson (Donna Ximena).

With Liverpool-born bass David Fraser splendidly imposing as the Commendatore, particularly when he came back to life as a marble statue after being murdered by Don Giovanni, the entire cast was stunningly good for a student production and the RCM are to be congratulated on a superbly enjoyable end-of-term winter production.

  • In production at the Britten Theatre until 25 November. For tickets, contact the box office or phone 020 7591 4314.
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