Opera al Mare: The Don faces his Commendatore
Two weeks of intense work by the singers of Opera al Mare came to the exciting finale of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” when Giovanni faced his unhappy fate at the hands of the revenge-seeking Commendatore. Friday’s performance at Il Teatro Comunale de Cenesnatico, an historical three balcony opera house with orchestra pit, was well sung, energetic — and exciting.
Director Joshua Collier’s production takes Da Ponte’s dramatic story from among the 1788 upper classes to today’s underworld of crime, drugs and prostitution. And because Mozart’s operas — like Shakespeare’s plays — are universal, it worked!
Underscoring Mozart’s — and Collier’s — drama, Cailin Marcel Manson briskly but sensitively conducted the fine Opera al Mare instrumental ensemble which comprises the excellent pianist/harpsichordist Francesco Ricci with a string quartet, clarinet and flutist.
Don Giovanni is still the rake, sleazy as ever, that we love until we don’t, but this time he has a compulsion for cocaine as well as women. Rich-voiced baritone Michael Fazio had vocal strength as the Don, and plenty of swagger. But the show was nearly stolen by lighter-voiced baritone Tristan Pritham as Giovanni’s “valet” Leporello — he was priceless.
Kathleen Echols’ brilliant soprano and unrelenting passion are perfect for Elvira, Giovanni’s fiery ex (of many, many) who unhappily runs across the dynamic duo. Earlier, Anna, sensitive and expressive soprano Emily Evans screams as a masked Giovanni leaves their conjugal bed, awakening her father, the Commendatore, who fights with Giovanni and is killed.
Ottavio (lyrical tenor Brian Mengler), Anna’s husband (betrothed in the original), and she must explain. Meanwhile, Giovanni is looking to a fresh victim. The young and innocent Zerlina (the lyrical and sensitive soprano Alexandra Billhartz) is about to marry her love, Masetto (dark baritone and guest artist Alberto Gentili). Leporello keeps Masetto busy so Giovanni can begin his seduction. But will it work?
The beginning of the end comes with one of the most beautiful moments in all of opera, the trio “Protegga il guisto vielo (May the just heavens protect us)” with Ottavio, Anna and Elvira with Brian, Emily and Kathleen. It was very beautiful, and real virtuosity for the ladies.
As Collier says, time stands still.
There wasn’t much of a party, so soon Giovanni and Leporello find themselves in a graveyard (with some interesting gravestones including one for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart). And then the fun begins!
The ghostlike statue of the Commendatore shows. Here’s where dark baritone Hadi Alibeigli gets his chance as he threatens Giovanni. Not seemingly impressed, Giovanni invites the Commendatore to dinner, to which he agrees.
Back at Giovanni’s tawdry digs, he feigns apathy while Leporello is truly scared. Elvira comes to try to convince Giovanni to repent.
“Never!”
“DON GIOVANNI” bellows the Commendatore.
And so begins the drug addled end of Don Giovanni — while his victims rejoice gently.
It was a spectacular evening at the theater.
(And it’s going to be recorded. More on that later.)
Jim Lowe