Photo by Catherine Ashmore/Provided by Digiscreen “Don Giovanni” The Royal Opera, 2008

ドン・ジョヴァンニは稀代の女性キラー。従者レポレッロをお供に、連日女性を追いかけています。その日狙っていたのは、ドンナ・アンナ。しかし彼女の父である騎士長に見つかってしまい、争いの末、彼を殺めてしまいます。それでも相変わらずの生活を続けるドン・ジョヴァンニ。強気の彼は、墓地で出会った騎士長の石像を食事に招く始末です。ところが石像は本当にやってきて、「生き方を改めよ」と迫ります。飽くまでも抵抗するドン・ジョヴァンニですが、遂には石像によって地獄へと引きずり込まれてしまいます。

Don Giovanni, an incurable ladykiller, incessantly seduces women day after day, accompanying his valet Leporello. One day, Giovanni fastens his eyes on Donna Anna. However, as the Commendatore, Anna’s father, finds Giovanni, he fights with her father and eventually kills him. Despite this, Giovanni still doesn’t get converted and keeps on flirting with women. He is even upbeat enough to invite the cemetery statue of the late Commendatore to dinner. Surprisingly, the statue really comes as promised and exhorts Giovanni to repent of his wicked lifestyle. As Giovanni adamantly refuses, the statue sinks into the earth and drags Giovanni down with him.

序曲から聴かれる、モーツァルトの中でも特にダイナミックで劇的な音楽や、〈カタログの歌〉〈手を取り合って〉などの登場人物それぞれに用意された名アリアの数々が何よりの聴きどころです。実際に大量の炎を用いた地獄落ちのシーンなども迫力満点。ドン・ジョヴァンニが改心したかどうか、幕が降りる直前の、最後の一瞬のシーンもお見逃しなく！

In this Mozart’s masterpiece, you can find a lot of superb music such as the dynamic and dramatic tune from the beginning of the overture, as well as the great arias including “Madamina, il catalogo e questo (My little lady, here is the catalogue)” and “La ci darem la mano (There we will entwine our hands)” among others. It really is overwhelming and thrilling where real fire used on stage surrounds Giovanni as he is carried below in. Don’t miss the very last moment before the curtain falls, when you will see if Giovanni really pays penance or not!