Mozart: Don Giovanni

Gerlad Finley, Kate Royal, William Burden,

Wholenote Discoveries - July/August 2011
It seems that in every baritone’s career, a Don Giovanni will happen. Given that there are some tremendous baritones out there, it would mean many a splendid production. Not necessarily so, unfortunately – just ask poor Brett Polegato, trapped in the COC’s tepid and messy effort. Surrounded by sub-par voices and dressed as a low-rent gigolo, even Polegato’s beautiful interpretation of the role could not save the production. Gerald Finley fares much better at Glyndebourne – the Kent production works for the most part and the principals are uniformly splendid, even though the OAE playing is uncharacteristically low energy. Nobody needs convincing that Finley is one of the best Giovanni’s on record – here less gigolo and more Berlusconi’s “Bunga Bunga” in the contemporized production. He is not tragic, but simply oblivious to the havoc he wreaks – a narcissistic psychopath if there ever was one. But it is Kate Royal, as confused and heartbroken Donna Elvira who steals the show. Luca Pisaroni, in a fine voice, is not cynical enough as Leporello, even in the Catalogue Aria, but sounds beautifully throughout. Isabel Leonard, beautiful to listen and look at, seems a tad too sophisticated as the naïve country bumpkin. The occasionally revolving set works well, except for the chase scenes and the finale. The most grievous harm of this production is done to the Commendatore. Traditionally, the statue and its subsequent re-animation are a source of a chill down the spine. Here, the freshly dug-out zombie evokes unwanted comedy, not horror. Ah, if only opera directors knew when to leave well enough alone… Robert Tomas
Gramophone DVD of the Month - August 2011
Kate Royal and Gerald Finley lead a stellar cast in Glyndebourne’s new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Festival Music Director Vladimir Jurowski, leads The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Glyndebourne Chorus. Winning team of director Jonathan Kent and designer Paul Brown create a sumptuous, awesome new staging – the first new Glyndebourne production of the opera in 10 years. Kate Royal, singing Donna Elvira, is joined by Gerald Finley in the title role, Luca Pisaroni’s Leporello and Russian soprano Anna Samuil in her UK Opera debut as Donna Anna. The DVD will feature English, French and German subtitles and bonus features include rehearsal and backstage footage, interviews with the production staff and cast as well as a glimpse into the costume, design and technical departments at Glyndebourne.