Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni along with the Magic Flute appealed to me most in my youth. Don Giovanni represented the carnal, dissolute side of life, while Magic Flute was spiritual, worshipful. This production from Covent Garden in 2008 has the best hero in Simon Keenlyside that we have seen possibly since Cesare Siepi's glory days in the 1950's.

Keenlyside is so sleek and reptilian, and sings so well that he makes a great impression. The viewer understands why Leporello often complains that Giovanni is a bad man and a bad boss. Kyle Ketelson sings very deftly, and makes us forget his resemblance to Keenlyside. I never cared much for Donna Anna's character, but Marina Poplavskaya brings her to life. Her costumes are well designed, as the previous reviewer noted.

Joyce DiDonato is as effective as Donna Elvira as Kiri te Kanawa was in Losey's film. Passionate and a little reckless, she moves us. The sets are top notch: altogether this film can take first place among contemporary productions.

Don Giovanni has always been one of my favourite operas. I love the sublime story, the dark and complex story and the vivid titular character. I don't think that this Don Giovanni from the Royal Opera House is the best one, Joseph Losey's film is my favourite, then the 1987 Karajan, 1990 Met, 2000 Met and 1954 Furtwangler performances. It is a very good production though, and of the two Simon Keenlyside Don Giovannis on DVD this is the better one. There are few complaints actually here, but there are three or four. I did think that Giovanni's escape in Act 1 was all too easy, using a rope as if climbing a rock or something just took away from the intensity of that scene. Also I was disappointed in Eric Halfvarson's Commendatore. Dramatically actually he is just great, very intimidating in his final scene as the character ought to be. But his voice has seen better days, here it seems dry and woolly. Robert Gleadow is a rather uncertain and diffident Masetto, so we don't feel much of the character's anger and jealousy. The sound is occasionally inconsistent, not always capturing the singers as well as it ought.

On the other hand, the costumes and sets while not "traditional" traditional are marvellously evocative. I especially Marina Poplavskaya's black dress, she looked beautiful in it, and her mourning veil has lots of detail. Musically, it is really excellent as well, Charles Mackerras leads a very efficient yet still intense reading, while the orchestra are outstanding, showing sensitivity and power. The robust horns are a highlight. Simon Keenlyside is a terrific Don, he is a believable seducer, and he is charming and handsome, yet devilish and arrogant also. What's for sure he is always very commanding, and his singing is as virile as ever. Kyle Ketelson is a more than vocally agreeable Leporello, he sings strongly and has a good sense of comedy and style, if perhaps a little too hearty in places. Ramon Vargas is likable and always engaged as Ottavio, his vocal purity and musicality continue to amaze, and his breath control is also very good, though even better in the recent Met production. Of the ladies, top honours go to Joyce DiDonato's sympathetic and seamlessly sung Elvira. Though Miah Persson's bright tone and natural charm suits Zerlina well, I do think Persson is just adorable in this role. Likewise with Marina Poplavskaya's haunting timbre and compelling presence for Donna Anna, some of the agility is not quite there, but the fact that I felt Donna Anna's vengeful fire and sense of sympathy is more than enough for me at the moment.

In conclusion, mostly successful and worth seeing I think. 8/10 Bethany Cox