Last night Fathom Events gave audiences in Boston (and all over the nation) a second opportunity to see the MET’s new production of one of opera’s most celebrated works, Mozart’s Don Giovanni. For a theater as abundant in resources as the MET, Grandage’s new production left something to be desired. In this opera, however, where every role is pivotal, one could hardly have asked for a finer cast.
Having had back surgery only two weeks prior to the performance, Mariusz Kwiecien miraculously stepped back into the lead role of Don Giovanni. Neither his physical performance nor his vocal work gave any suggestion of resent injury or frailty of any kind, for that matter. Kwiecien presented a playful, yet menacing Giovanni. His velvety baritone voice was as agile as ever as displayed in his upbeat rendition of “Fin ch'han dal Vino.” Kwiecien’s complex interpretation of the character allowed him to showcase his dynamic lyricism as he wooed Zerlina and Elvira’s maid, but also a darker, more penetrating tone as his sinister nature surfaces. Kwiecien cooed “Deh, Vieni alla Finestra” with warmth and ecstasy in his tone which directly contrasted the commands barked at Leporello during the graveyard scene and malicious delight at terrifying him. Beyond contrasting vocal styles, Kwiecien brought some mysteriousness to Don Giovanni. As early as the first scene, Don Giovanni unmasks himself to the dying Commendatore in a moment of, perhaps, compassion or repentance.
Giovanni and his servant, Leporello, played by Luca Pisaroni, had the best chemistry of the group and the most complex relationship. Although it was clear that Kwiecien’s Giovanni took pleasure in exerting his dominance over Leporello, there was a genuine fondness between the two. Despite Leporello’s numerous failed attempts to leave Giovanni or turn him around, he remains loyal to him to the end. Pisaroni plays the rascal with such sympathy that he very quickly become the favorite of this the characters; he is caring, practical, and just plain funny. The vocal chemistry between the two worked to their advantage. Although Pisaroni often sang lower than Kwiecien, Pisaroni’s voice possessed a brighter quality which countered the dark sinister tone Kwiecien brought forth.
Ramon Vargas and Marina Rebeka played the stoic couple of Don Ottavio and Donna Anna. In the opening scene of the opera, Rebeka showed impressive vocal agility in her duet with Don Giovanni. Her voice was piercing in its volume and power which worked well with the character of Donna Anna, but she was seldom able to soften that harsh tone. Together, Vargas and Rebeka sang the Scene III duet, “Ah, vendicar, se il puoi, giura quel sangue ognor,” with fiery conviction that was the most engaging of their scenes. Vargas’ “Il mio Tesoro” was a gem amidst the tumultuous second act. Vargas’ sang with precision and gorgeous arching phrases, but his character shows little personality.
The contrasting pair, Masetto and Zerlina, played by Joshua Bloom and Mojca Erdmann were animated and youthful. Bloom, with his full, booming bass voice, played the hotheaded Masetto to his fullest comic potential. Bloom paid attention to the physical details, as well as the vocal, and, with his sarcastic smiles and exasperated shooing of Zerlina, captured perfectly Masetto’s jealous character. Erdmann’s portrayal of Zerlina was equally strong. Rather than an innocent country girl, Erdmann played a lighthearted pragmatist. Although her acting was strong enough, her voice was somewhat thin and lacked the body to blend smoothly with the voices of the rest of the cast.
Another star among the cast was soprano Barbara Frittoli in the role of Donna Elvira. Frittoli’s interpretation of the character was sometimes exaggeratedly naïve, making it harder to feel sympathy for her character. Vocally, Frittoli’s tone was consistently rich. Frittoli was able to redeem her character in Act II aria, “In quali eccess.” Not was her vocal execution of this aria filled with beautiful vocal coloring and dexterity, but it is the moment where the audience can truly pity Elvira’s unconditionally loving heart. Despite a slight tendency to go sharp, Frittoli’s vocal performance was never unpleasant. Her masterful phrasing and dynamic coloring gave her vocal lines astounding beauty and a natural flow.
The highlight of the performance was the dramatically packed dinner scene, starting from Donna Elvira’s entrance. Both Elvira and Leporello’s final attempts to save Don Giovanni from his impending doom reinforce the good nature of their characters and the ultimately foul character of Don Giovanni. Stefan Kocan, in the role of the Commendatore, enters the scene uttering the famous opening words, “Don Giovanni,” with chilling resonance. Shrouded in black, the Commendatore presents an ominous figure as he emerges from the fog-covered stage. The orchestra, led by Fabio Luisi, added to the other worldly effect with sweeping ascending and descending scales shared by the violins and flutes. The fortepiano dynamic in the orchestra on the Commendatore’s “Tu m’invitasti a cena” highlights the turning point of the scene. Kocan’s profoundly cavernous bass voice fills the stage and as he turns his eyes on Don Giovanni, it is clear that Giovanni understands his fate.
This scene is one of the few times the balconied set worked to the productions advantage. The shutters burst opened to reveal a chorus of demons looming from the balcony. The floor gives way under Kwiecien’s feet and flames spurt from all sides of the dining table in a climactic moment of chaos. In scenes where the characters interact with each other, the balconies created a disconnect; however, in the finale, the demon-filled balconies created an image of hell and kept the already loaded scene from being cluttered.
This classic take on Mozart’s masterpiece was solid, but was hardly innovative. Despite this, the talented cast brought clear, realistic characters to the forefront of the opera.
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