WAO Don Giovanni Program 2018

DON GIOVANNI MOZART

Taryn Fiebig, Soprano

Director’s Message

It’s a delight to resume my association with WA Opera with such a gem of a piece and in such a classic production. Of the series of 4 Mozart operas originally commissioned

by Opera Australia to be directed by Göran Järvefelt, this production of Don Giovanni is the most enduring. Though tragically Järvefelt was never able to stage these operas in Australia, due to his premature death at the age of 42, a long line of directors have kept the spirit of his honest and thoughtful story-telling alive.

Personally, being asked to direct this production feels a bit like completing a career-long cycle for me, having worked on the Järvefelt Cosi fan Tutte in my first opera season 24 years ago, and having been involved with the productions of La Clemenza di Tito and Idomeneo, as well as Magic Flute and Der Rosenkavalier by the same creative team, in the intervening years, I now have the box set!

We are fortunate to be working this season with the original designer of all of these beautiful productions, Carl Friedrich Oberle.

To have his presence with us in Perth, along with the original lighting designer, Nigel Levings, is an operatic honour.

One of the great legacies of these productions is that their scenic approach provides a beautiful and clear backdrop to

the actions and emotions of the characters in the story – it brings their relationships to the fore. Apart from a couple of grand technical moments when the supernatural is called for in the second act, it’s the skills of a group of singer-actors that engross and transport us.

Although this is a classic production, each new group of artists bring something new to each iteration. While the story remains the same, the cultural climate and our attitudes continue to change around it. We have had many interesting conversations in the rehearsal room around those in positions of power, fame and wealth abusing those positions to enable, and sometimes attempt to justify, appalling sexual behaviours. With our media full of these stories, and our society attempting to come to grips with the prevalence, the psychological effect and the repercussions on people’s lives of these situations, we see the characters in Mozart and Da Ponte’s world, grappling, through some of the most noble and sublime music, with those same impacts and questions.

It’s a testament to the charm and the degradation of the Don, that we are fascinated and then appalled by him again and again. Long may we love him, hate him and continue to question.

Roger Press REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Conductor’s Message

For many people, from Kierkegaard through Goethe to now, Don Giovanni is the supreme opera. While I love Mozart, and have seen many productions of Don Giovanni, I never really understood till I actually started rehearsing the opera what all the enthusiasm was about.

Because there are aspects of this opera which are ugly, distasteful and deeply alienating.

The Don is not a rake - he is a rapist, a murderer and a bully. A whole evening of episodes from his life has sometimes felt for me like a very long evening in the theatre!

It’s only now, with my heart and soul engaged, that I am coming to understand how the opera works. And what people mean when they talk about it being the ne plus ultra of opera. Because in our rehearsal process I have been able to extract the tissue of the music and singing from the ostensible plot, and to see what Mozart and da Ponte achieved. The plot is a vehicle, I now believe, for something deeper and more interesting than the story itself. On the surface it’s a tale of dissoluteness and punishment. But the energies which drive it - a superhuman exuberance, a rhythmic intensity, a vocal seduction - are all contained in the music and express what I can only describe as a going beyond.

Don Giovanni goes beyond fidelity, principle, and morality. That’s obvious. But, in his encounter with the Stone Guest, he goes beyond normal human emotion altogether.

He meets Hades itself with unquenchable courage and fearlessness - for him it is a new experience to be tasted, to be savoured, even to be enjoyed. And this “humanity at the limits” is what continues to seduce us, over two centuries later.

Mozart and Da Ponte show judgement being made, but like all great dramatists they themselves do not judge. Brilliantly, they embed the deep forces of seduction and compulsion in the fabric of the opera itself.

On the fault line between classicism and romanticism, Mozart himself goes beyond anything he had done up to that point. He created musical darknesses and vistas which were entirely new to human ears. Don Giovanni sent messages into the future, messages which obsessed the Romantics.

These messages - cryptic, oracular, passionate - come to us now from beyond the grave, holding us in their seductive, imaginative embrace Brad Cohen CONDUCTOR

Vice Regal Patron’s Message

As Vice Regal Patron of West Australian Opera, I welcome you to this production of Don Giovanni.

This year we have been fortunate to experience a range of exceptional work from Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen to the sold out season of Bizet’s Carmen. Concluding a wonderful year of Opera in His Majesty’s Theatre, we now welcome Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

Mozart’s sublime music and dramatic truth tell a vivid tale of seduction, desire, power and freedom in this wonderful production.

Hear the principals, the West Australian Opera Chorus and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra come together in this well-loved production conducted by Brad Cohen and rehearsed by Roger Press.

As the state opera company, West Australian Opera contributes to the arts in Western Australia by presenting worldclass opera at His Majesty’s Theatre, offering education and community programs, regional touring, and developing young artists through the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program. I join the company in acknowledging the generous support of both State and Federal governments, Principal Partner Wesfarmers Arts and private donors and corporate supporters.

The Honourable Kim Beazley AC Governor of Western Australia Vice Regal Patron West Australian Opera

Chairman’s Message

Welcome to Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni presented for you in a wonderful production originally directed by Göran Järvefelt and rehearsed by Roger Press, with set and costumes by Carl Friedrich Oberle (who we are privileged to have had with us in Perth for this presentation) and lighting by Nigel Levings.

Opera is a beautiful but expensive art from and we value the contribution of sponsors, patrons, donors and you our audience.

You are our strongest ambassadors and your ongoing support is critical to our success. I encourage you to subscribe to the company’s work in 2019 and you will see all details at www.waopera.asn.au I particularly wish to acknowledge Principal Partner Wesfarmers Arts, Major Partners Healthway and Minderoo Foundation, Civic Partner City of Perth and Official Airline Partner Qantas. We are grateful for the continued support of the Federal Government through the Australia Council and the State Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Andrew Pascoe CHAIRMAN West Australian Opera

Executive Director’s Message

The sublime music of Mozart returns to His Majesty’s Theatre in this vividly told tale of seduction, desire, power and freedom.

At West Australian Opera, our dream is to present opera that moves you with powerful stories and themes that remain ever relevant.

Operatic narratives are sometimes seen as outdated but in this tale, written in 1787, we are presented with a series of ‘news headlines’; a man seeking pleasure and power at any cost, a scorned lover seeking justice, a father seeking revenge for his family.

I thank all my colleagues at West Australian Opera, the creative team, singers, West Australian Opera Chorus and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted

by Brad Cohen, the stage management and backstage teams for bringing this production to life on stage for you tonight.

Opera can create and expose life’s most tender moments. It makes us think and feel and it holds an important place in our cultural landscape. Thank you for attending an opera performance in Western Australia and please continue to support your state opera company in 2019 and beyond.

Carolyn Chard AM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR West Australian Opera

Proud supporter of West Australian Opera.

www.apnoutdoor.com.au

DON GIOVANNI

7.30pm His Majesty’s Theatre 20, 23, 25, 27 October 2018 3 hours including one interval Sung in Italian with English Surtitles

Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto Lorenzo Da Ponte Conductor Brad Cohen Director Göran Järvefelt Rehearsal Director Roger Press Set & Costume Designer Carl Friedrich Oberle Lighting Designer Nigel Levings Fight Director Andy Fraser Don Giovanni Teddy Tahu Rhodes Leporello James Clayton Donna Anna Anita Watson Don Ottavio Jonathan Abernethy Donna Elvira Emma Pearson Il Commendatore Jud Arthur Masetto Wade Kernot Zerlina Rebecca Castellini Actors Anna Rochfort, Alexander Circosta Daniel Elsegood, Andrew Hale, Patrick Harvey Lloyd Hopkins, Dean Kennedy, Phil McCarthy Aiden McFaull, Chewe Nkole, Will Vogt, Josh Walker

Stage Manager Karen Farmer Assistant Stage Manager Hugo Aquilar Lopez Assistant Stage Manager Jacinta Wajon Head Mechanist Ian Studham Guest Chorus Master Perry Joyce Repetiteur Tommaso Pollio Head of Wardrobe Sue Kerr Wardrobe Assistant Sheridan Savage Dresser Sacha Mahboub Dresser Mandy Elmitt Dresser Erin Minervini Head of Wigs Virginia Hawdon Wigs Assistant Christopher Lyons Wigs Assistant Phillip Cox Head of Make Up Sharon Krywood Surtitle Operator Allison Fyfe Pre-Performance Talks Annie Patrick Surtitles provided by Opera Australia and prepared

by Brian FitzGerald.

Brad Cohen

Roger Press

Since being appointed Artistic Director of WAO in 2015, Brad Cohen has conducted Faust, Gianni Schicchi, The Riders, The Pearl Fishers, Opera in the Park: 50th Anniversary Gala, Tosca and Lucia di Lammermoor, and this year Opera in the Park - La Bohème. Prior to 2015 he conducted Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor and The Magic Flute for the company. Brad conducted the world premiere of Thomas Adès’ Powder her Face, just a year after winning the 1994 Leeds Conductor’s Competition.

Roger acted in, and stage managed, productions for Sydney University Dramatic Society and was an assistant director on five short film productions for the Australian Film, Television & Radio School.As a Resident Director for Opera Australia, Roger has worked on productions of Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Cosi fan tutte, The Turn of the Screw, Der Rosenkavalier, The Meistersingers of Nuremburg, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Barber of Seville, La Traviata, Carmen, Eugene Onegin, Otello, Tosca, Don Carlos and The Pearlfishers. He is associate director for productions of John Cox’s Capriccio and Neil Armfield’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and The Marriage of Figaro, a production he has rehearsed for Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia and West Australian Opera. Also for West Australian Opera, he has rehearsed Nabucco, and for Opera Queensland, The Turn of the Screw.From 2007 to 2009, he was the Resident Director for the Really Useful Company’s The Phantom of the Opera for its tour of Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan. Roger directed the Ozopera 2011 production of La Traviata and was involved as resident director on the ABCTV co-production of The Divorce.For the past 3 years, Roger has mentored the winners of Opera Australia’s Regional Scholarships program.He has also worked in various capacities for MTC, STC, Theatre of Image, Cameron Mackintosh, Sydney Festival, Pinchgut Opera, The Really Useful Company and Network Ten.

Conductor

His career spans a wide ranging repertoire at English National Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Australia, Opera North, opera companies including Luzern, Nantes/Angers, Nederlands Reisopera, and at festivals including Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and Rossini in Wildbad.

Most recently, a co-production with Scottish Opera and Opera Holland Park of Ariadne auf Naxos.Brad is also the Founder and Creative Director of Tido Music.

Rehearsal Director

Set & Costume Designer

Lighting Designer

Nigel Levings

Andy Fraser

Born and studied stage and costume design in Germany, began his professional career as Designer Consultant at Loeb Drama Center, Harvard University, followed by engagements with theatre and opera companies throughout Europe.His collaboration with the Swedish director, Göran Järvefelt, included productions in Gelsenkirchen, Wiesbaden, with Welsh National Opera (Ring Cycle) the Royal Opera Stockholm, Drottningholm Court Theatre, Opera Genève, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Royal Opera Copenhagen, Houston Grand Opera, (Mozart Cycle) and Santa Fe Opera (numerous Richard Strauss operas.)With Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Opera Australia in 1986 a series of Järvefelt-Oberle productions followed in Australia, including Cosi fan tutte and Poppea in Sydney, A dream play with the State Theatre in Adelaide and Don Giovanni, directed by Lindy Hume. Further productions in Australia have included designs for La Clemenza Di Tito and Idomeneo with Moffat Oxenbould, Parsifal for the Adelaide Festival with director Elke Neidhardt, Marcropoulous Secret and Billy Budd with director Neil Armfield.

The most recent works have been with the English director Rosamund Gilmore, including Wagner’s Ring Cycle for Oper Leipzig, as well as numerous world premieres of newly commissioned operas.

Nigel Levings has lit over 500 productions including 182 operas and 31 musicals.

Andy Fraser is a fully certified Fight Director and Stage Combat Instructor holding accreditation from the Society of Australian Fight Directors Inc., the British Academy of Dramatic Combat and Fight Directors Canada. His company, Stage Combat Perth, is the premier provider of stage and screen combat solutions to the entertainment industry in W.A.

Carl Friedrich Oberle

He has lit opera in St Petersburg, Paris, Washington, London, Cardiff, Berlin, Baden Baden, Innsbruck,Bregenz, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne andToronto.

He is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society. His awards for lighting design include a Helpmann Award, a Green Room Award, an Ovation, a Dora Mava Moore, 2 Outer Circle Critics Awards, a Drama Desk and a Tony.

Recent work includes: 170 Days In Nanjing an opera for Jiangsu Performing Arts Centre, China.

Simon Boccangera for Opera Australia.

Memorial for Brink at the Adelaide Festival of Arts and Brisbane Festival.

Romeo et Juliette for Korea National Opera.

Cloudstreet the opera for State Opera of South Australia.

Tartuffe for State Theatre Company.

Hello Dolly for The Production Company.

Dry River Run Paul Dean’s opera for the Queensland Conservatorium.

Fight Director

Since emigrating to Perth in 2001, Andy has worked on a wide range of productions for a variety of companies including Black Swan State Theatre Company, WA Opera, Perth Theatre Company, Deckchair Theatre, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Barking Gecko Theatre Company and numerous independents. Andy has also worked extensively in film and television on projects encompassing feature and short films, advertisements and TV series.

Andy teaches at several institutions including W.A.A.P.A., Central Institute of Technology, Principal Academy of Dance and he has also been a Workshop Co-ordinator and Senior Instructor on several Stage Combat workshops across Australia and internationally.

Don Giovanni

Leporello

James Clayton

Anita Watson

Teddy’s impressive international career spans the opera stage and concert platform. He has performed with the San Francisco, Austin, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas, Cincinnati, Houston, New York, the Hamburg Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper/Munich, Theatre du Chatelet/Paris, in Vienna, Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera Companies.

Praised for his vocal phrasing and colour, James Clayton is one the most versatile singers to emerge from Australia in recent years.

After completing a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australian/British soprano Anita Watson graduated with honours from the Australian Opera Studio. She was a member of the Cologne Opera Studio 2006-7 and the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden from 2007-9.

Teddy Tahu Rhodes

Roles include Escamillo/ Carmen (Hamburg, Théatre du Chatalet/Paris, Munich, Bilbao, Metropolitan Opera, OA), Don Giovanni (OA, WA Opera), Scarpia/Tosca (WA Opera), Emille de bec /South Pacific (OA Australian Tour), King of Siam/ The King and I (OA Australian Tour), Méphistophélès/Faust (OA, SOSA, WA Opera), Sweeney Todd (VO, NZ Opera), Performances in 2018 include Scarpia/NZ Opera, UK and Australian Bravo Cruises, William Tell and I Capuleti ei Montecchi (VO), Bangalow Festival (Southern Cross Soloists) and the title role in Don Giovanni (WA Opera).

Awards include an ARIA, two Helpmann Awards, a Limelight Award, a Green Room Award plus a MO Award.

In 2018 Teddy releases his new CD, “I’ll Walk Beside You” with ABC Classics

In 2018, he sings Marcello (La bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), Leporello (Don Giovanni) and The Forrester (The Cunning Little Vixen) for West Australian Opera and Angelotti (Tosca) for New Zealand Opera; he appears in concert with the Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Wellington.

James made his Opera Australia debut as Baron Douphol in La traviata – in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour – and his Japanese debut as Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte for Biwako Hall.

Other appearances include Escamillo (Carmen) for OA and NZO, Tonio (Pagliacci) for Victorian Opera and a plethora of major roles for West Australian Opera - Scully (The Riders), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Iago (Otello), Conte di Luna (Il trovatore) and the title roles in Rigoletto, Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia.

Donna Anna

Her career highlights include Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) for the Royal Opera House, Fifth Maid (Elektra) for the Salzburg Festival, Mimì (La Bohème) for Opera North, Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) for Teatro La Fenice, First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) for the Royal Opera House, Governess (The Turn of the Screw) for English National Opera, Ann Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) for Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Flowermaiden (Parsifal) at the BBC Proms, Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder with the Mariinsky Orchestra in St Petersburg, Mahler’s 8th Symphony with Sir Mark Elder and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Sir Antonio Pappano.

Upcoming performances will include a return to Welsh National Opera to sing Pamina (The Magic Flute).

Emma Pearson

Jud Arthur

Don Ottavio

Don Elvira

As an HSBC Laureate with the Festival D’Aix-en-Provence, member of the Opernhaus Zürich International Opera Studio and winner of the Australian Opera Awards, New Zealand Tenor Jonathan Abernethy has established himself as a vibrant and upcoming operatic artist.For the 2018/19 season Jonathan will perform on opera and concert stages throughout Australia and Europe. He performs with West Australian Opera as Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), with Canberra Choral Society (Mozart Requiem and Haydn Nelson Mass) and as tenor soloist for performances of Handel’s Messiah in both Sydney and Melbourne Town Hall. In 2019, Jonathan returns to Europe with Theatre Champs Elysees (Brighella, Ariadne auf Naxos), followed by performances of St. John Passion and a tour of Mozart’s Requiem throughout France with Insula Orchestra.Past opera performances include: with Opernhaus Zürich, Trin (Fancuilla), First Prisoner (Fidelio), 4th Jew (Salome), 4th Knappe (Parsifal), Toby Higgins (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny); Festival D’aixen-Provence, Brighella (Ariadne auf Naxos), Diarte (Erismena); Opera Australia, Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Fenton (Falstaff), Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de Perles), Ruiz (Il Trovatore), Normanno (Lucia di Lammermoor), Count Lerma (Don Carlos), Remendado (Carmen); West Australian Opera, Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de Perles); New Zealand Opera, Nanki-poo (The Mikado).

Principal artist at the Hessisches Staatstheater, Wiesbaden from 2005-2014, where Emma was the youngest singer to be awarded the honorary title of “Kammersängerin”, her repertoire included the title roles in Lucia di Lammermoor, Lulu and La Calisto; Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Jenny (The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), Nanetta (Falstaff), Woglinde, Gerhilde and Waldvogel (Wagner’s Ring Cycle), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Norina (Don Pasquale) and Hilde Mack (Elegy for Young Lovers).

New Zealand Bass, Jud Arthur has been based in Australia since 2003. During this time Arthur has performed to critical acclaim most of the standard Bass repertoire for Opera Australia, including: Angelotti, Sarastro/Speaker, Colline, Nightwatchman, Nourabad, Mikado, Comte de Grieux, The Bonze, Monterone, Timur, Bartolo, Ferrando, Fernando, Laurent, Raimondo, Varlaam, Hobson, Basilio, Banquo, Zaccaria, Sparafucile/ Monterone, Zaretski. He also performs frequently with West Australian Opera, Opera Queensland, New Zealand Opera, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony and the State Opera of South Australia.Career highlights include receiving international acclaim for his performance as Fafner/Hunding: Der Ring des Nibelungen in Opera Australia’s Ring Cycle and more recently he was nominated for Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera for his portrayal of Gravedigger/Ghost of Hamlet’s Father and Player 1 in Brett Dean’s Hamlet for Adelaide Festival.Other 2018 performances include: Faure and Mozart Requiems (Victoria Chorale), Some Enchanted Evening concerts at the White Horse Theatre, VIC, Hobson in Peter Grimes (Brisbane Festival and Opera Queensland), The King/Aida for Opera Australia and Il Commendatore/Don Giovanni for West Australian Opera.

Jonathan Abernethy

Emma has also performed for Opera Australia, New Zealand Opera, Semperoper Dresden and other theatres and orchestras in Europe, Asia and the U.S.A..

For WAO she has sung the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen and Lucia di Lammermoor, Micaëla (Carmen), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Jenny (The Riders).

In 2019 Emma will return to Opera Australia to sing Contessa di Folleville (Il Viaggio a Reims).

Il Commendatore

Rebecca Castellini Zerlina

Wade Kernot

Rebecca Castellini made her professional debut with the West Australian Opera as the Cock/Jay in the 2018 production of The Cunning Little Vixen.

She will continue to work with West Australian Opera for the rest of their 2018 Season, singing the roles of Frasquita, in Carmen, and Zerlina, in Don Giovanni. Rebecca also debuted with Lost and Found Opera this year, singing the role of Kate Kelly, in the Workshop Presentation of the new opera, Ned Kelly.

Wade Kernot was a Principal artist at Theater St Gallen, Switzerland, from 2010-2015.

Prior to this he was awarded the 2008 Patricia Pratt Scholarship in Music Performance, and was a semi-finalist representing NZ in both the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and the Neue Stimmen, in Germany, as well as runner-up in the Lexus Song Quest.

Rebecca is a 2017 and 2018 Wesfarmers Young Artist with the West Australian Opera and Recipient of the Bendat Scholarship.

Rebecca studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, completing a Graduate Diploma, Bachelor and Advanced Diploma of Music.

Until this year, Rebecca was working with West Australian Opera as a regular chorus member, performing in Lucia di Lammermoor 2017, The Merry Widow 2017, Tosca 2017, Le Pêcheurs de Perles 2016, L’elisir d’amore 2016, Faust 2015, Madama Butterfly 2015.

Masetto

In recent seasons Wade has performed Zuniga and Sarastro for New Zealand Opera; Fred in a new work Brass Poppies,

by Ross Harris, (libretto by Vincent O’Sullivan), for New Zealand Festival, the bass role in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella for the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the bass roles in the IFANZ/Opera de Lyon season of a Kurt Weill double bill. And most recently, Verdi Requiem in Napier, New Zealand, and Lorenzo (I Capuleti ei Montecchi) in Auckland.

Other roles Wade has performed for WAO include Angelotti (Tosca), Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Arthur (The Riders), and Nourabad (The Pearl Fishers).

West Australian Opera Chorus SOPRANOS

Alexandra Bak

Leilah Fox

Brianna Louwen

Lucy Mervik

Belinda Cox

Chelsea Kluga

Anne Millar

Tim Schoenmakers

Nathan Stark

Louis Hurley

Simon Wood

Thomas Friberg

David Penco

Mark Hurst

Prudence Saunders Xiojia Zhang

MEZZO SOPRANOS

Helen Brown

Stephanie Parr

Ashlyn Tymms

TENORS

Ry Charleson

David Jones

BASSES

Mark Alderson

Dudley Allitt

Jake Bigwood

UWA Conservatorium of Music Proud Tertiary Education Partner of West Australian Opera As one of Australia’s leading music programs, in one of the world’s leading universities, we create the future leaders of the Arts community. music.uwa.edu.au

Madeline Kelly Snail / Fox Cub

Art and culture have a unique ability to draw communities together and enrich everyday life.

-Andrew & Nicola Forrest

Proudly supporting WA Opera

Synopsis ACT ONE Outside the Commendatore’s house Leporello stands watch for the masked Don Giovanni, who is trying to seduce the Commendatore’s daughter, Donna Anna. When she tries to unmask him Don Giovanni flees, pursued by the Commendatore, whom Don Giovanni kills in a duel.

Donna Anna makes her fiancé, Don Ottavio, swear to avenge her father’s murder.

Don Giovanni turns to new adventures. On the street he sees a lady, Donna Elvira, who is searching for the man who seduced and abandoned her; she recognises Don Giovanni. He runs away, promising that Leporello will explain everything.

Don Giovanni encounters a group of peasants celebrating the marriage of Zerlina and Masetto. He throws a banquet and tells Leporello to get rid of the groom. Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Don Ottavio arrive wearing masks and are invited to join the party. While Leporello distracts Masetto, Don Giovanni entices Zerlina away. Her cries for help are heard, and when Don Giovanni tries to accuse Leporello of being the offender, the three avengers unmask before Don Giovanni.

ACT TWO Leporello has tired of life with Don Giovanni, but is persuadd to exchange clothes with Don Giovanni for yet another of his amorous adventures. The target is Donna Elvira’s maid. Don Giovanni, disguised as Leperello, leads them in different directions and then gives Masetto a beating. Leporello tries to escape from Donna Elvira.

Don Ottavio and Donna Anna enter, soon joined by Masetto and Zerlina. Leporello discards his disguise, apologises to them all and escapes.

Don Giovanni is in a cemetery, at the foot of the Commendatore’s statue. Leporello arrives. Don Giovanni is warned by the statue of his approaching doom. He forces the terrified Leporello to invite the statue to supper. Don Giovanni dines, waited on

by Leporello while a band of musicians plays. There is a loud knock at the door; it is the Commendatore. He invites Don Giovanni to dine with him and as a pledge they grasp hands. The grip is ice-cold and, even as his limbs begin to freeze, Don Giovanni refuses to repent. He is hurled into the flames Image: West Australian Opera’s Don Giovanni 2013 season

DON GIOVANNI; OPERA’S ULTIMATE SEDUCER

Historically, the legend of a seducer and blasphemer who meets a supernatural death had its origins in the European middle ages. Later, in the seventeenth century, the Don Giovanni/Don Juan saga appeared in Spain: Tirso de Molina’s El Burlador de Seville y Convidado de Piedra or The Prankster of Seville and His Stone Guest is considered the common ancestor of the many stories and dramas that followed.

The story also made its way into ballet and opera and Gluck’s ballet Don Juan, was performed in Vienna in 1761, followed by Righini’s opera Il Convitato di Pietra ossia Il Dissoluto in both Vienna and Prague in 1777, and it is quite probable that Mozart and his librettist Da Ponte had seen these works.

The success of their first collaboration, Le Nozze di Figaro, in Vienna in `1786, followed by Prague, the capital of Bohemia, prompted the theatre manager and impresario, Pasquale Bondini, to commission another opera from this talented duo.

Consequently Don Giovanni had its world premiere at the Nationaltheatre in Prague on October 29, 1787.

Coincidentally, it appears that Da Ponte was friendly with Giovanni Casanova,

whose name, along with Don Juan, has become synonymous with libertine. Casanova was known to be in Prague shortly before the premiere of Don Giovanni and it is possible that Da Ponte drew on this source for inspiration when writing Leporello’s Catalogue Aria: It’s an interesting supposition.

Ironically, in spite of Don Giovanni’s amorous reputation, and conquests that include six hundred and forty women in Italy, two hundred and thirty one in Germany, and already one thousand and three in Spain (enumerated in the Catalogue Aria by his servant Leporello to Donna Elvira), he doesn’t actually ‘score’ during the whole opera!

The opera is based on tension between class and sex, and the characters surrounding the Don are well fleshed-out, both musically and dramatically: With his servant Leporello he connives and schemes with buffo patter; the Commendatore/ Statue interaction portrays heroic or seria elements; he woos Donna Anna with courtly flattery; Zerlina with rustic charm; he mocks, then evades Donna Elvira, and tries to seduce her maid whilst disguised as Leporello.

Class distinctions are made particularly clear in the iconography

“Sensuality, conviviality and pace are essential dramatic elements in the Don’s frenetic lifestyle. He is mercurial by nature, and can be courtly and debonair as well as diabolical and daemonic.” of the dances in the ballroom scene finale of Act One when Donna Anna, Don Ottavio and Donna Elvira dance a stately minuet whilst Don Giovanni (furthering his seduction) leads Zerlina in a rural contradanse and Leporello distracts Masetto, her fiancé, by forcing him to be an unwilling partner in a crude German stomp.

Sensuality, conviviality and pace are essential dramatic elements in the Don’s frenetic life-style. He is mercurial by nature, and can be courtly and debonair as well as diabolical and daemonic. He treats his servant Leporello familiarly one moment and brutally the next. He breaks oaths when they become inconvenient, ignores warnings, and is not afraid of hell and damnation.

Was the opera a dark comedy, or ‘light hearted drama’ as Da Ponte, the librettist’s subtitle drama giocoso implies? Fundamentally, it is a combination of comic, tragic and daemonic elements encapsulating the Don’s amorous adventures. This draws us, the audience, into the charismatic and seductive world of Mozart’s music. Without doubt his eponymous (anti)-hero is opera’s ultimate seduce Annie Patrick September 2018

Image: West Australian Opera’s Don Giovanni 2013 season

Thank you LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($10,000+) Alexandra & Julian Burt Mario D’Orazio Warwick Hemsley & Melissa Parke Sam & Leanne Walsh Anonymous (1) PRINCIPAL PATRON ($5,000+) Dr Jack Bendat AM CitWA & Mrs Eleanor Bendat Catherine Ferrari Dr Patricia Kailis The Robert Kimpton Family Dr Robert Larbalestier Annie & Neil Patrick Dr Peter Simpson OAM Richard Tarala & Lyn Beazley AO Joyce Westrip OAM Anonymous (2) BENEFACTOR ($2,500+) Neil Archibald & Alan R Dodge AM Eleanor John Max Kay AM CitWA & Norma Kay Francis Landels Dr Bryant Macfie Michael & Helen Tuite Joyce Young SUPPORTER ($1,000+) Gaysie Atkinson Betty Barker Gay & Robert Branchi Dr Peter & Mrs Rae Breidahl Claire Brittain & John McKay Lynne Burford Publicity Mrs Joan Carney Frank Cooper AO Christene Dalla Riva Lorraine Ellard Rosemary Grigg & Peter Flanigan Dr Dennis Hayward Kathryn Hogan & Graham Droppert Ulrich & Gloria Kunzmann Simon Landers Ross & Frances Ledger Patrick Lilburne Richard Noble & Co

Celia & Neil Patterson Maria & Robert Radici Bill Reid Kerry Sanderson AC Kim & Keith Spence Yannis Vrodos Dr Chris & Mrs Vimala Whitaker Anonymous (4) TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS Minderoo Foundation Bendat Family Foundation James Galvin Family Foundation McCusker Charitable Foundation Stan Perron Charitable Trust Wright Burt Foundation ANDREW AND NICOLA FORREST The generous gift of FMG shares is testament to the Forrest’s commitment to a strong and vibrant arts sector in Western Australia.

YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM The Bendat Scholarship James Galvin Family Foundation Mr Andrew Mitchell Society of WA Opera Lovers BEL CANTO FUND Thanks to the leadership donors of the Bel Canto Fund YOUNG LEADERS CIRCLE Thank you to the Young Leaders Circle partner Herbert Smith Freehills and Yannis Vrodos, program Ambassador.

BEQUEST CIRCLE Anita & James Clayton Lorraine Ellard Ailsa West Anonymous (5)

FRIEND ($500+) Ian & Kerry Adams Siobhan Beilin Mary Carr Carolyn Chard AM Helen Cook Friends of His Majesty’s Theatre T & E Gerner Dr Rosalind Hampton Ian & Sue Hobson Jock & Jennifer Laurie Megan Lowe Len & Sue Roberts-Smith Thurston Saulsman Diana Warnock and the late Bill Warnock Peter & Hilary Winterton Anonymous (5) DONOR ($200+) A & H Anstey Tom Aram Cathy Bardon & Bob Cassie Dr Colin W. Binns Lynne Buzzard Dr Charlene Caspersz Gary Chard K & M Chester Ron & Helen Clements Douglas Clifford & Cliff Eber Tony & Sheila Cockbain Margaret Denham Image: West Australian Opera’s Don Giovanni 2013 season

Susan Dry Mrs Shirley Egan Isobel Glencross Ms Stephanie Rose Goodlad Peter Hawkins Dr Penny Herbert Keith Holt & Anne Fuller Professor Lynne Hunt Margaret Jarman Dr Louis Landau Suzette Landels Carolyn Lester Jill Lowes Dr Toby Manford Bronwyn Meredith Andreas W Merk Anthony Munro Helen Nicholas Beverley & Tony Noakes Anne Pedlow Taui Pinker Elizabeth Shelton Rosalind Smith Dr Louise Sparrow Jan Stacey Warren & Katharina Surtees Rudy Zomer Anonymous (10)

7:18 am

thursday 22 february 33°59’37.6”s 115°03’29.5”e 2018 harvest block 5 chardonnay

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proud sponsors of west australian opera margaret river

TOUCH THE CLOUDS...

IMAGINE WAKING UP IN YOUR PRIVATE APARTMENT. Friends of WA Opera choose to stay overnight at Quest East Perth – A brand new Apartment Hotel on Adelaide Terrace.

Visit questeastperth.com.au or call +61 8 6210 6000

Venue Acknowledgements PERTH THEATRE TRUST Chairman Morgan Solomon Trustees Cr Jim Adamos Cr Janet Davidson Julian Donaldson Michelle Tremain Tanya Sim Nadia van Dommelen Colin Walker DIRECTOR GENERAL OF DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SPORT AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES & PERTH THEATRE TRUST GENERAL MANAGER Duncan Ord OAM

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE ADMINISTRATION Venue Manager Helen Stewart Manager Venue Operations Alexandra Macnish Event Operations Coordinator Jenny May Admin and Accounts Assistant Fiona McNiece Administration Assistant Julianna Noonan Stage Door Keeper Narda McMahon Box Office Supervisor Jenny Franklin Archivist Ivan King

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE VENUE TECHNICAL Technical Manager Matthew Nankivell Assistant Technical Manager Tony Gordon Head Mechanist Eoin O’Briain Head Electrician Michael Rippon Head of Audio and AV Jeremy Turner Head Flyman Matt Mclay Lighting Board Operator Shane Bowring

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WA Opera Ad March 2017.indd 1

YEARS PROUDLY AUSSIE

3/03/2017 4:39 PM

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Company BOARD Chairman Andrew Pascoe Deputy Chair Catherine Ferrari Board Directors Julian Burt Mario D’Orazio Anthony Gianotti Christiaan Heyning Darren Lewsen Ingrid O’Brien Jan Stewart PATRON Dr Jack Bendat AM CitWA HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Dario Amara Hon Julie Bishop MP Frank Cooper AO Erich Fraunschiel

Francis Landels Warwick Hemsley Bruce Martin AM Margaret McManus Dr Richard Mills AM Annie Patrick Marilyn Phillips Vincent A Warrener AM KHS WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA STAFF Executive Director Carolyn Chard AM Artistic Director Brad Cohen Production Manager Mandy Farmer Artistic Administrator Rebecca Kais Accountant Debbie Byrnes

Education Manager Terasa Letizia Development Manager Coralie Bishop Acting Development Manager Claudia Rayne Marketing Manager Danielle Ierace Development & Marketing Coordinator Catherine Power Marketing Consultant Daniele Foti-Cuzzola Office Coordinator Holly Langford-Smith Sales Consultant Rachel Sait Publicity Lynne Burford Financial Accountant Sue Hobson

WASO Onstage Tonight VIOLIN Semra Lee-Smith Graeme Norris Zak Rowntree Sarah Blackman Hannah Brockway Fleur Challen Stephanie Dean Alexandra Isted Christina Katsimbardis Ellie Lawrence Andrea Mendham^ Akiko Miyazawa Melanie Pearn Ken Peeler Jolanta Schenk Jane Serrangeli Kathryn Shinnick Bao Di Tang Teresa Vinci David Yeh

VIOLA Benjamin Caddy Kierstan Arkleysmith Nik Babic Rachael Kirk Allan McLean Helen Tuckey CELLO Rod McGrath Louise McKay Shigeru Komatsu Oliver McAslan Eve Silver Fotis Skordas Tim South DOUBLE BASS Andrew Sinclair Caitlin Bass Kirsty Collins Louise Elaerts

Christine Reitzenstein Andrew Tait FLUTES Andrew Nicholson Mary-Anne Blades OBOE Liz Chee Leanne Glover Annabelle Farid Stephanie Nicholls CLARINET Allan Meyer Catherine Cahill Lorna Cook Alexander Millier BASSOON Jane Kircher-Lindner

Adam Mikulicz Chloe Turner Linda Charteris HORN David Evans Robert Gladstones Julia Brooke Francesco Lo Surdo TRUMPET Fletcher Cox Peter Miller TROMBONE Joshua Davis Liam O’Malley BASS TROMBONE Philip Holdsworth TIMPANI Alex Timcke

Bringing the world closer Andrew Stead, Qantas Dreamliner Pilot Qantas Dreamliner, now flying Perth to London non-stop.

Book at qantas.com *Subject to government and regulatory approval.

Thank You West Australian Opera thanks our partners for their valuable support.

PARTICIPATION PARTNER

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

MAJOR PARTNERS CIVIC PARTNER

OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER

OPERA PARTNERS YOUNG LEADERS CIRCLE PARTNER

TERTIARY EDUCATION PARTNER

GOVERNMENT PARTNERS This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory

OPERA SUPPORTERS

www.waopera.asn.au www.facebook.com/waopera www.twitter.com/waopera www.instagram.com/waopera