Don Giovanni

Is Don Giovanni a man suffering from Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder? Or, as Michael Gow, Director of this production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni surmises,  is he  a man who ‘free of moral constraint maybe provided many of the women he’s known with one night of pleasure before they are married off’? 

Opera Australia’s 2026 National Tour of Don Giovanni, presented by State Opera South Australia, at the Barossa Arts Centre blends tragedy and humour as it explores this dilemma. Is he Rogue or Revolutionary?

Mozart’s joyous and reflective music creates a magic that is its own response to such ruminations.

Set in the 1950s in a small town in Spain, the story is removed from the  Nobility versus Peasants opulence of some productions. This serves to humanise the people involved, so that we may identify with them more closely. As a woman  sitting behind me commented: ‘it’s all happening today, isn’t it?’ I wondered what circles she mixed in, while certain names from our own time came to mind. 

Da Ponte’s libretto carefully balances the six main characters. Following the overture Leporello appears, complaining about his life, working night and day, not enough to eat, not enough sleep, what he wants is to be a nobleman, not a servant. We understand. Kiran Rajasingam both sang and acted this role magnificently. His Catalogue aria a triumph!

The nobleman who is giving him grief is his master, Don Giovanni. Christian Haotian Qi in this role is a young, handsome, narcissistic, charming, confident young man. To top it all he can really sing. He does have a nasty side, such as when he stabs the Commendatore in the back, which is hardly fair play, or when he plays a cruel trick on Donna Elvira (more of that later) but he could not charm all those women if he was not charismatic with a cheeky bravado which serves him well until the very last moment. Defiant to the end he refuses to repent and all hell breaks loose.This is the time when the Commendatore sung by Eddie Muliaumaseali’i appears with his deep resonant bass voice, to give Don Giovanni his final chance of redemption.

Donna Anna (Celeste Lazarenko) is feisty in her response to Don Giovanni’s attack upon her virtue, and heartbroken at the death of her father. Her sorrow and her anger allow for the arias  or sai chi l’onore rapire me volse, or later, Non mi dir, sung with a clarity and beauty of tone.

Don Ottavio has always seemed to me to be a little overawed by the idea that one of his class could be a villain, even as he swears to revenge the death of Donna Anna’s father. He promises much and does little except offer moral support. Thomas Dalton in this role does show real emotion comforting singing  Il mio tesoro with conviction as well as tenderness.

Donna Elvira, (Chelsea Burns) was superb in creating a yearning for reunion with Don Giovanni while  alternately pouring scorn upon him. Hearing the list of his lovers, as described by Leporello probably helped her to come to terms with the true nature of the man she loves. How she came to be deceived by Leporella into thinking he was Don Giovanni, with what presumably followed, defies credibility even though cleverly directed and acted.

Zerlina (Cathy-Di Zhang) is a clever minx, tempted, as so many before her, but saved from disgrace and ruin. Vocally she is ideal for the two arias and famous duet with the would-be seducer, but I suspect that Masetto, as sung by Benjamin Del Borrello, was not totally wrapped around Zerlina’s little finger. His determined courage in an impossible situation demonstrated that, along with his fine singing.

These six singers combined, at different times and in differing combinations, in ensembles which are such a feature of Mozart’s operas.

Mention must be made of the Children’s Chorus led by Mel Crawford. This is formed in each of the regions where the opera is staged and is a wonderful way to introduce young people to music and theatre. The young people last night were clearly enjoying the experience of being there.

The small orchestra, conducted by Simon Brickyard provided strong support.

This opera, as part of State Opera South Australia’ season was an excellent production in a regional setting, giving people from outside the capital cities the opportunity to enjoy good music.

Barossa Arts Centre

17 and 18 July