Don Giovanni

Description

Don Giovanni is one of Mozart's most popular and enduringly fascinating works. E.T.A. Hoffmann described it as the "opera of all operas". This edition begins with a discussion of its comic elements by Michael F. Robinson. An overall view of the score is given by David Wyn Jones, showing how Mozart maintained dramatic momentum over its two acts and giving an overview of the dramatic pacing and orchestration in some of the most important scenes. Christopher Raeburn concludes the commentary with an engaging portrait of Lorenzo Da Ponte, Mozart's "libertine librettist", and his relationship with the composer. This guide contains more than thirty photographs covering performances of Don Giovanni to the present day, a detailed thematic analysis, the libretto in Italian with a facing literal translation, an up-to-date bibliography and a discography, as well as DVD and website guides. Contains: The `Comic' Element in Don Giovanni, Michael F. Robinson; Music and Action in Don Giovanni, David Wyn Jones; Lorenzo Da Ponte, Christopher Raeburn; Characterization in Don Giovanni, E.J. Dent, Brigid Brophy, Julian Rushton, Lawrence Lipking, Andrew Steptoe, George Hall; Don Giovanni: A Selective Performance History, Hugo Shirley; Don Giovanni: Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte; Don Giovanni: English translation by Visiontext

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, and began composing at the age of five. His subsequent prolific output included the great operas of his maturity, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte and Die Zauberfloete.