March-May 2009

This time we’re looking at the Don’s – Giovanni and Juan (although we’re saving Quixote for a future session).

These two are based on the same story, the legend of Don Juan, which probably first saw light of day as the play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest) by Tirso de Molina, published in Spain around 1630.

I’m very excited that we’re tackling Mozart at last, and especially this opera, which many think the finest of all (including Kierkegaard, who called it ‘a work without blemish, of uninterrupted perfection’ – see this essay on Kierkegaard’s view of Don Giovanni).

• Don Giovanni – music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte (opera)
• Don Juan – Lord Byron (poem)