Dr. Richard Carillo on Don Giovanni

Oct 18, 2024

I had the fortune of attending the final dress rehearsal of Opera Omaha’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni and was given a night of entertainment ripe with sensuality, masked identities, and even a disgruntled spirit returning from the grave.

The whole production was presented in the film noir styles of the 1940s and 50s black and white motion pictures which only added to the intrigue.

Mozart’s opera sets to music Lorenzo Da Ponte’s libretto to tell the story of Don Giovanni, a character who at best could be described as a “lady’s man,” and at worst (though more accurately) as a chauvinistic lothario. Throughout the opera he attempts to add more women to his list of “conquests” while also having to face the consequences of feigning love to many different people at the same time. Despite the heavy nature of this subject matter, we see evidence of Mozart’s comedic skill as he adds many moments of levity, which had me laughing out loud.

While his voice is obviously noteworthy, it was Craig Verm’s acting and portrayal of the title character that made him a perfectly slimy protagonist. (And how often is the term “perfectly slimy” used as a compliment!) His lyrical baritone voice had enough lilt to make his skillset of wooing women believable, while still maintaining the vocal gravitas showcasing the sometimes darker and more realistic motives behind Don Giovanni’s actions. His sidekick Leporello, played by Zachary Nelson, was so expertly acted and sung that the chemistry between the two characters smartly portrayed the duo’s nefarious actions in such a way that couldn’t help but keep the audience on the edge of their seats, eager to see how the plot unfolded.

Theresa Perrotta, who played Donna Anna, sang with such technical prowess and control, that she masterfully expressed the wide range of emotions her character endured throughout the opera. Her ability to be the focal point of the overarching storyline put Don Giovanni’s many side conquests in perspective to the importance of her emotional journey to the overall plot. This was augmented by Andrew Potter’s portrayal of the Commendatore, whose towering presence and booming voice was the perfect vehicle for portraying the watchful father and then later as the disgruntled spirit coming back from the grave to seek his revenge.

Mary Evelyn Hangley, who played Don Giovanni’s former lover Donna Elvira, had the difficult task of portraying a complex character whose motives were mixed with the desire to seek revenge for Don Giovanni’s previous transgressions, while dealing with her own susceptibility of being wooed yet again, by his advances. Hangley’s inner conflicts and internal dialogue were so clearly expressed through her artful singing, that a mere glance or facial expression conveyed to the audience the conflict she had with falling for the man who previously wronged her.

A true musical highlight occurred at the end of Act 1, with the trio of “masked singers”, sung by Perrotta (Donna Anna), Hangley (Donna Elvira), and Terrence Chin-Loy, who played Don Ottavio. The three voices came together in such a sublime fashion, that it quite literally took my breath away. Adding to the pure operettic magic of this scene was the lighting, which was created by lighting director Marcus Dilliard, along with the artistic vision of director Kristine McIntyre, whose use of shadows and silhouettes truly brought the film noir style to life.
(As a side note, I would highly recommend arriving to the opera a bit early to allow yourself the chance to explore the video screens in the main lobby. Here, they showcase various iconic film noir scenes which are artistically recreated throughout the staging of the opera.)

In addition to the characters already mentioned, I would be remiss if I did not mention baritone Markel Reed’s Masetto and soprano Erika Baikoff’s Zerlina. Their relationship, plagued with jealousy, gave the audience a sometimes-comical view into these newlyweds’ relationship which contrasted well with the darker storyline. Often, those who are new to this artform may have the preconceived notion that operas are “too stuffy,” but Reed and Baikoff’s portrayals would quickly alleviate those fears as they helped to add to the pure musical and comedic entertainment of the show.

With so much emotion, both subtle and overt, and intricate storyline, conductor Judith Yan led the orchestra, soloists, and chorus singers (prepared by chorus director Josh Quinn) in such a masterful way that allowed the story to breathe, and created a natural and organic unfurling of the plot.

While some may argue that Mozart’s more obvious comedies (such as The Magic Flute or The Marriage of Figaro) might be a better vehicle for a first-time opera goer, I would argue that Opera Omaha’s production of Don Giovanni is so skillfully executed that it will no doubt create an opera-lover out of a novice audience member, while also providing a fresh new perspective to the seasoned viewer. This is definitely a show you do not want to miss!

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