"Don Giovanni," based on the exploits of the legendary libertine seducer Don Juan, sizzles in Syracuse Opera's current production. With hot talent in the leads--all but one is new to the company--and backed up by the experienced Syracuse Opera Chorus and fervent Symphoria musicians, the two-act opera is big, bold and impressive.
As Mozart would have it, energy never lags, from the ominous opening chords of the overture, to the consuming flames of Hell at the finale. And, even though two gruesome deaths take place on stage, there is enough verbal and visual humor to keep the audience laughing much of the time and to justify the composer's description of the work as an "opera buffo."
The title character is the anti-hero an audience loves to hate; he's callous, licentious, and privileged. Marcus DeLoach, whose rich baritone mesmerizes on his serenade to Donna Elvira in Act. II, plays Giovanni as an arrogant cad, who thinks his wealth and station get him a pass on moral behavior. He is particularly loathsome singing, "I have a great deal of money, and I wish to be amused."
He uses that money to bribe his dutiful but disgruntled servant, Leporello, to join him in a plot to exchange identities so that Giovanni can move on from Elvira to a young village girl, Zerlina. Robert Mellon, as Leporello, is a crowd favorite for his resonant voice and his physical humor. His opening bass aria, "Notte e giorno faticar" lists his complaints--hard work, low pay, no respect--and identifies him as an alter-ego for his master.
Leporello's best moment comes in the second scene when he catalogs for Elvira the many female conquests of his master, telling her not to be angry that she was abandoned because there are thousands of women throughout Europe who are Giovanni's rejects. The exaggerated numbers and the period setting ameliorate to some degree the degrading lyrics, but it's still chilling to hear that the lothario's favorite conquests are "young virgins."
As the opera begins, Don Giovanni is pursuing Donna Anna, who rejects him, then finds her father murdered for trying to defend her honor. Elizabeth De Trejo's technically superb soprano lends strength and beauty to her role as she seeks revenge. Her brilliant Act II, scene 4 aria "Non mi dir," reveals her love for her fiance, but says she cannot marry until her father's death is avenged.
Mozart gives the fiance, Ottavio, sung by Daniel Bates, a gorgeous aria in each act. The tenor declares his devotion to Donna Anna in Act I, and in Act II, he delivers his showpiece, "Il mio tesore," with amazing control as he navigates the melodic phrases and long lines.
Pamela Armstrong plays Elvira with more strength than the character sometimes displays, showing her as conflicted by her attraction to Giovanni and her distain for his philandering. Her soprano is consistently fluid, soaring, and ardent, and when she sings the famous Act II recitative and aria she is perplexed, and she might be angry, but she's definitely not mad.
Zerlina, the lovely young maid, is played by Katie Hannigan, whose honeyed mezzo-soprano and open naivete make her the perfect foil for the shenanigans of her soon-to-be bridegroom, Masetto. He is sung by bass Paolo Pecchioli, a wonderful comic actor, who doubles as Il Commendatore and his talking statue.
Syracuse audiences are falling in love with the graceful, precise conducting of Christian Capocaccia, who is also seen as associate conductor of Symphoria and artistic director of Symphoria Youth Orchestra. He led the musicians in a brilliant performance of Mozart's score, in which the composer's music undergirds the action and lyrics. In addition to the plot-revealing overture, one example is Loperello's "black book" aria in which the orchestra plays a series of short notes when the servant describes diminutive women and longer, more grand phrases to represent the tall ones.
Stage director Ophelie Wolf gets the balance between drama and comedy just right as she creates a "Don Giovanni" that is first and foremost a highly entertaining opera. She lets justice prevail by bringing the curtain down on Giovanni's torment in the inferno and skipping the epilogue in which the problems of the other characters are resolved.
Wolf's direction reflects the rising social awareness of the #metoo movement by emphasizing the independence of female characters over their complete dominance by the males. She frames the 332-year-old opera to present social issues that can raise questions and initiate conversations in 2019.
THE DETAILS:
Who: Syracuse Opera with Syracuse Opera Chorus and Symphoria
What: Mozart's "Don Giovanni"
Where: Crouse-Hinds Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center
When: Reviewed opening night, Friday; plays again Sunday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m.
Of Interest: Free conductor's talk for ticket holders one hour prior to curtain
Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes including one 20-minute intermission
Language: Sung in Italian with projected surtitles in English
Tickets: From $26; students, $10
Purchase: online at syracuseopera.org or by phone at 315-476-7372