Opera News & Press

Don Giovanni, New Orleans Opera

Read a review of Don Giovanni in Opera News.

Don Giovanni, New Orleans Opera

George Dansker

Mozart's Don Giovanni sauntered onto the stage of Tulane's McAlister Auditorium after an absence of six seasons (seen Nov. 14). Generally well cast, the production was promoted as a "fresh new look" that entered into the "realm of film noir." The near-capacity audience was enthusiastic throughout, finding the sometimes humorous twists and turns of Mozart's dramma giocoso to be an entertaining evening at the opera.

Vocally, pride of place must go to Lucas Meachem (Don Giovanni) and Daniel Mobbs (an engaging Leporello). Meachem sang beautifully and performed his role handsomely and confidently — all the more remarkable as this was a role debut. One vocal highlight was a silken-voiced "Deh, vieni alla finestra." He and Daniel Mobbs excelled in Mozart's vocal writing, with superb musical phrasing and precise Italian diction.

In her New Orleans debut, Julianna Di Giacomo was an energetic, vocally opulent Donna Anna, who for the most part successfully kept her large voice under control in that character's often treacherous vocal writing. On a similar level was Yalí-Marie Williams's Donna Elvira, although "Mi tradì" provided a few vocal problems. These two ladies were given less-than-flattering costumes to wear, one drawback no doubt to this updated staging of Mozart's opera.

Maureen McKay, a lovely, fresh-voiced Zerlina, was a notable asset to the ensemble, while Kenneth Weber (Masetto), Eric Jordan (the Commendatore) and Chad Johnson (Don Ottavio) rounded out the principal cast. The conducting of Garrett Keast was on the deliberate side, but he clearly understood Mozart style and drew very good playing from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

At first glance, film noir as a concept would seem to be at odds with the bright purity of Mozart's music. Director Matthew Lata's intent to recreate the Seville of the 1930s, rather than the 1600s, resembled more New York's Little Italy of the 1950s! The director's concept did not really enhance Mozart's masterpiece, nor did it truly detract from it. Throughout the evening, there were small touches that suggested the genre: the onstage band smoked cigarettes, Masetto struck Zerlina just prior to "Batti, batti," and the Don himself had a gunshot wound that would not heal, with the blood stains on his shirt becoming more pronounced as the opera progressed. At times, the shadows and contrast of light and dark on the stage were convincing, but just as often the dimly lit stage did no more than make it difficult to see the performers and the rather non-descript scenery of G. Alan Rusnak. However, the use of projections while the Commendatore's statue came to drag Don Giovanni to hell was especially interesting and provided an effective and exciting finish to the opera.

This was the last production of the New Orleans Opera in its "borrowed" surroundings at Tulane's McAlister Auditorium. In January there will be a Gala honoring Plácido Domingo, for which the company will make a welcome return to the newly restored Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts after an absence of more than three years.