The Original Portrayal of Mozart's Don Giovanni

The Original Portrayal of Mozarts Don Giovanni offers an original reading of the opera by focusing on the portrayal of the title role by its creator, Luigi Bassi. It provides a wealth of new sources and explores how the early German reception and performance history shaped the character's portrayal as the arrogant and violent villain we encounter today. This study is valuable for scholars and researchers in opera studies, theatre, performance studies, music history, and conductors, directors, and singers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Original Portrayal of Mozart's Don Giovanni presents an innovative interpretation of Mozart and Da Ponte's opera Don Giovanni, focusing on the portrayal of the title role by its creator, the baritone Luigi Bassi (1766–1825). While Bassi received guidance from Mozart himself, his performance has received limited scholarly attention. This book offers a wealth of new sources, including first- and second-hand accounts, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of Bassi's performance scene by scene. By comparing Bassi's portrayal with the early German reception and performance history of the opera, the book demonstrates how Don Giovanni, as we know it today, was shaped not only by Mozart, Da Ponte, and Luigi Bassi but also by the early German adapters, translators, critics, and performers who transformed the title character into the arrogant and violent villain commonly encountered in modern stage productions. The book also incorporates discussions of dramaturgical thinking of the late Enlightenment and the complex moral dilemmas raised by the opera, making it an essential study for scholars and researchers in opera studies, theatre and performance studies, music history, as well as conductors, directors, and singers.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032158334