Friday night, we went to see Opera Tampa's production of Don Giovanni (or, as opera aficionados may know this, Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, which translates to The Rake Punished). Here's our take on the final show of Opera Tampa's season.
Don Giovanni$49.50-$109.50. April 10, 2 p.m.
Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. W.C. McInnes Place, Tampa. 813-229-STAR. strazcenter.org.
Deceit. Violence. A man who keeps a book listing all his conquests. That was our Friday night at the opera. Opera fans know this show, and those who don't, well, think of it as a dark sort of rom-com, circa 1787. Don Giovanni is a hot young fellow who has quite the libido. Unfortunately, he's not a great guy — think of that obnoxious guy from the other fraternity, you know the one, the one who slept with woman after woman and tossed them aside carelessly as he bragged about his conquests. Yeah, that guy. Don Giovanni is also something of an asshole to everyone he meets, but, of course, he gets his comeuppance in the end.
As for the Opera Tampa production at the Straz? Maestro Daniel Lipton, along with the entirety of the company, delivers, once again, a stunning production that hits all the high notes in all the right places.
Reasons you should go:
- Carlos Alvarez in the titular role delivered a strong performance with a clever combination of grace and cunning, although, in fairness, each of the principals offered smooth rhythm and flow, not only in their vocals but with their acting and the other production elements.
- The duet between Don Giovanni and Commendatore (Kenneth Kellogg) in Act I, Scene I. They both matched one another in strength, tonality and energy; this short but powerful interlude set the bar high for the rest of the production, and the rest of the production did not disappoint.
- The lighting. Standing in stark contrast to the ornate scenes used in last month's production of La Traviata, Don Giovanni relies more heavily on lighting effects than scenery, placing the focus on the characters and the book rather than intricate scene changes.
- The duel between Il Commendatore and Don Giovanni. Kenneth Kellogg doesn't appear on stage much, but his role stood out throughout the production. Don Giovanni should be a more remarkable figure, but — perhaps because his character itself is not a likable sort — Kellogg more than holds his own between the two. The sword fight stands out for its choreography; the men use the entire stage and put forth a non-Hollywood duel.
- The final scene. From the convention used to present the Commendatore (you really need to see it to grasp the beauty of the design) to the pyrotechnics, the finale brought the entire production full circle, closing as the show began: with stellar performances from Kellogg and Alvarez backed by strong design components.
Don Giovanni has one more performance, this Sunday. If you're an opera fan or even opera-curious, this would be a great way to spend an afternoon.