Don Giovanni for Mozart Week

Because it is Mozart Week, I think it is proper to share more of Mozart's music. I took this picture in Salzburg, the city of his birth. As you can read beneath, it is a drawing of a stage design Don Giovanni, my favourite opera of Wolfgang. My favourite opera, period, in fact. I haven't shared an aria from DG for a long while, not since 2022, so it was about time. This is Mi tradi wuell alma ingrata, sung by Alexandra Lowe (a soprano I don't know all that much) and I hope you enjoy.

Lorenzo da Ponte (une biographie)

Je reviens sur la production de Don Giovanni de Mozart  par Opéra du Royaume, qui bat son plein en ce moment. Dernière représentation demain, piur ceux qui peuvent. Je voulais aussi dire quue vous pouvez lire sur le site d'Opéra du Royaume une courte biographie de Lorenzo da Ponte, le librettiste de l'opéra. Je savais pas mal tout ça, à part un détail ou deux. Mais dans tous les cas, c'est un bon résumé de la vie du plus grand librettistes (à mon humble avis) de l'histoire de l'opéra. En fait, da Ponte est un grand dramaturge, point.

Don Giovanni au Saguenay

Annonce pour les gens du Saguenay ou ceux qui peuvent s'y rendre: la production de Don Giovanni de Mozart  par Opéra du Royaume, ben c'est maintenant que ça commence. Alors donc, pa première est aujourd'hui et c'est jusqu'au 13 avril.

Don Giovanni à l'Hôtel Chicoutimi

 Je re, re, re-plogue la production de Don Giovanni de Mozart par Opéra du Royaume. Un, si vous pouvez le voir, allez le voir, c'est en avril. Aussi, si vous n'êtes pas du Saguenay (ou vous n'êtes pas proche) vous pouvez obtenir 25% de rabais pour une chambre à l'Hôtel Chicoutimi en présentant votre billet d'opéra. Vous avez les détails dans l'image plus haut, avouez que je vous mâche le travail.

Mozart dans le Royaume

Comme vous le savez si vous suivez ce blogue, Opéra du Royaume va présenter Don Giovanni de Mozart en avril.Je plogue la production de temps en temps, parce que c'est une première régionale et parce que c'est mon opéra préféré de Mozart, qui est mon compositeur préféré. Vous pouvez lire une entrevue avec son directeur artistique ici. Ils font beaucoup de promotion de cette production à L'Opéra du Royaume, ce sera un évènement musical majeur.

Plus sur DG

Comme vous le savez, Opéra du Royaume va présenter Don Giovanni de Mozart en avril. C'est une première régionale (rérionale?) et j'aimerais pouvoir y être, mais hélas... Je suis loin. Cela dit, je me tiens au courant sur la production, en plus d'en faire la promotion sur ce blogue. Parce que j'ai aumoins quelques lecteurs au Saguenay. Bon, alors, j'en ai appris plus: ils ont traduit le libretto original. Alors ce sera chanté en français. Je suis, je l'avoue, un peu dubitatif. Je pense qu'on peu suivre même si l'on ne parle pas italien. Et j'ai peur qu'on y perde au change. Mais bon, c'est quand même Mozart et mon opéra préféré, alors je ne bouderai pas mon plaisir pour autant. Enfin, je ne bouderais pas si je pouvais y être. Et c'est du 9 au 13 avril, pour ceux qui peuvent.

Don Giovanni (plogue)

 J'ai fait l'annonce il y a environ un mois. Je la refais en rappel, parce que je reçois des notifications  à ce propos sur les réseaux sociaux: : Opéra du Royaume va présenter Don Giovanni de Mozart en avril. Mon opéra préféré, de mon compositeur préféré. Un retour dans ma région en avril n'est pas dans mes boîtes, hélas, mais allez le voir si vous pouvez. Opéra du Royaume fait de l'excellent travail d'habitude et ce sera une grande première régionale. Alors osez.

Don Giovanni au Royaume

Annonce d'intérêt public pour les gens du Saguenay: Opéra du Royaume va produire Don Giovanni de Mozart en avril cette année. C'est une grande, grande, grande première régionale. Mon opéra préféré de mon compositeur préféré, dans ma région. J'en aurais rêvé enfant. Que ce soit aussi accessible de nos jours, dans une production de qualité, ça me remplit d'une fierté toute saguenéenne j'envie mes compatriotes.

'Mozart, You Drive Me Crazy!'

Here's some great musical news, at least for me: South African soprano Golda Schultz (maybe my favourite soprano) is releasing a new album, called Mozart, You Drive Me Crazy!. About Mozart's music from the three operas he composed in collaboration with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Now, there are many like this, but Schultz just gets Mozart, she is one of the most Mozartian opera singers we have now. Plus, she loves the composer so much, she is as much a fan as she is a singer. And it shows when she sings it. This album is a labour of love and I intend to either buy it, or put it on my birthday presents list. But maybe I will not be able to wait until my birthday, even though it is soon. In any case, check this video about it:

Don Giovanni's Fall to Hell

Here is another countdown to Halloween post for Halloween, but of a different kind. You may know that I love opera. There are also some of them which I consider suitable to listen to during the Halloween season. Among them, Don Giovanni by Mozart. Incidentally, it is my favourite opera. I find the scene where the titular character is thrown in Hell by a vengeful ghost paticularly fitting. So anyway, a few months ago, I found out that Italian artist Milo Manara had actually published a book titled Penditi, about Mozart, with one illustration depicting the composer and the climax of the opera. I found it so cool I knew I had to share it here. I was actually waiting for the countdown to share it. Of course, as it is Manara, there is nudity. But he's no mere pornographer, this is a great depiction of the protagonist's last moment, giving it a taste of hellfire, setting the Commendator as this powerful otherwordly figure and reminding us of the reason of his punishment. And look at Mozart's expression. Just gripping. I love a good Eros and Thanatos cocktail. Anyway, here is the full scene in music:

"L'Abuseur de Séville"

J'ai parfois des obsessions qui datent de longtemps et que j'approfondis année après année. Enfin bref, Don Giovanni est mon opéra préféré. J'ai lu la pièce de Molière il y a longtemps (elle m'a d'ailleurs un peu déçu), parce que je voulais en savoir plus sur la source de l'opéra, mais ce n'est que récemment que j'ai mis la main sur la version la plus ancienne de la légende. Il y a quelques mois, j'ai donc acheté en version bilingue espagnol-français El Burlador de Sevilla de Tirso de Molina. J'ai préféré cette pièce à celle de Molière: plus violente, plus brutale, plus explicite. Mettons que Tirso de Molina n'a pas mis de gants blancs. La pièce m'a fait voir Don Giovanni sous un jour nouveau et j'ai très hâte d'écouter l'opéra à nouveau et de l'analyser une autre fois à la lumière de cette expérience de lecture.

Don Giovanni and an Easter memory

I recently blogged that, while I never had a birthday on Easter itself until yesterday, my family did celebrate my birthday on Easter when both were close, for practical reasons. One of the memories I have of it, and one of the fondest birthday and Easter memories I ever had, was on Easter 1987, which was on the 19th of April. We had brunch at my godfather's restaurant, where I also unwrapped my presents. Among them, I received  Don Giovanni by Mozart in vinyl. I was over the moon as, believed it or not, I had asked for it. Back then, buying a whole opera in vinyl was a big thing, it was an expensive thing, so I felt both spoiled and incredibly privileged, like I was deemed capable of appreciating grownup stuff. I remember proudly telling one of the waitresses that I received an opera, and she congratulated me. I think she found me very cute and probably very naive (not to mention geeky as Hell).

So I spent the whole evening listening to the first act ( listened to the rest the next day) and reading the libretto from back to back. It was not a very good translation, i discovered it later, but I got the gist of the story and I was completely taken by it. I cannot think of a happier birthday memory and a better present. Anyway, since that day, I associate Don Giovanni to Easter and this time of year. To commemorate, here is one aria from the opera, in a production that may or may not be the one I had, but it is from about that time period. With Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing Ah chi mi dice mai. You can't go wrong with her as Donna Elvira.

A new evening with Don Giovanni

As my long time reader knows, I love Don Giovanni by Mozart. It is my favourite opera, and I think maybe the greatest opera there is. Although sometimes I wonder if Cosi fan tutte is superior, Don Giovanni remains my first Mozartian love and thus it has a special place in my heart. So anyway, I learned that the Royal Opera House is not only showing it, but that there will be a live performance on the evening of the 12th of July, at 7:00PM available for free on YouTube. So my evening tomorrow is sorted out, as long as little Wolfie does not struggle too much to sleep. If I can watch it, I will of course blog more about it. Until then, here is a promotional video:

La chute du Dom Juan de Molière

Ah! mes gages! mes gages! Voilà par sa mort un chacun satisfait, Ciel offensé, lois violées, filles séduites, familles déshonorées, parents outragés, femmes mises à mal, maris poussés à bout, tout le monde est content ; il n’y a que moi seul de malheureux, qui après tant d’années de service, n’ai point d’autre récompense que de voir à mes yeux l’impiété de mon maître, punie par le plus épouvantable châtiment du monde. Mes gages! mes gages! mes gages!

Je sais que je sui un peu monomaniaque, après avoir blogué sur Don Giovanni, je blogue encore sur Don Juan, mais celui de Molière. Qui s'écrit Dom Juan. Avec un m. Je l'ai lu plusieurs années après avoir découvert l'opéra, simplement pour connaître ce que je croyais être la source de l'oeuvre. Il faudra bien un jour que je lise l'original de Tirso de Molina. Vous devinez que j'ai développé une certaine obsession sur le personnage de Don Juan. Mais pour moi et jusqu'ici, le libretto de Lorenzo da Ponte demeure l'interprétation définitive du personnage. À la lecture de la pièce, j'étais par ailleurs assez déçu. Il manquait quelque chose, je ne sais encore pas quoi. Cela dit, le dernier acte et la chute, avec les derniers mots de Sganarelle, j'avais trouvé ça très fort. Et ce soir ces mots me hantent, comme ils le font parfois. Il va me falloir revisiter la pièce aussi.

Time for Don Giovanni

As those of you who read my posts in French know, my brother PJ is in Prague these days and tonight he is watching/listening to Don Giovanni by Mozart on the stage that first produced the opera. The performance might actually be over as I am typing this. To say that I envy him is an understatement. I am bleeding jealous. Don Giovanni is my favourite opera and I also consider it the greatest ever written, bare none. So these last few days, I have been dreaming about future time in Prague to do exactly that and been listening to the music a lot. I also read through the libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (yes, I have it, see the image on the left). But I mainly listen to the arias on YouTube. I wanted to upload one here, I was not sure which one to upload as I have already uploaded many. So I decided to upload the duet La ci darem la mano, which I already did years ago, but followed by Ah! Fuggi il traditor!. So it's a double bill. Anecdote: I did sing the duet when I was learning opera, it was the one and only duet I ever sang actually. Sadly, I never did in front of an audience. On the plus side, I was never chastised by a Donna Elvira looking like Cecilia Bartoli.

Don Giovanni à Prague

Petite nouvelle familiale et culturelle: mon petit frère PJ s'en va bientôt en voyage à Prague, afin notamment et surtout de voir le Don Giovanni de Mozart sur la scène qui l'a vu naître. Don Giovanni, pas mon frère. Suis-je envieux? Vert de jalousie, oui. C'est mon opéra préféré. Je l'ai vu l'année dernière, mais c'était sur une toute petite scène et avec un piano comme tout orchestre. Tout de même, même avec des moyens modestes, le génie de l'oeuvre suffit à la porter. Enfin bref, afin de célébrer son voyage, j'accompagne ce billet d'une illustration du livre-disque Mozart raconté aux enfants du Petit Ménestrel ainsi que de l'aria du catalogue. Bon voyage PJ, maudit chanceux...

The evening with Don Giovanni

I found this image on Facebook recently, ironically enough a few days before I went to see Don Giovanni. I blogged about it before, I promised to give more details about the evening, so as promised, here is the post giving you the account of my experience (and it was an experience). And I thought this image would be very fitting, even though I already uploaded the overture on a different post. It took Mozart one night to compose its overture, and what an overture it was. But I digress...

I think it would be pointless to write this post as a review. I don't do reviews very well. Don Giovanni is the greatest opera that ever was, in my opinion, however limited the means, however poor the production may be, the music and the story can lift them and turn it into not only an enjoyable night, but an experience. It was a production of limited means: no chorus, only the characters. No orchestra, only a piano. A small stage, minimalist decor, the theater an old barn. Some scenes were cut, even. But nevertheless, it was my first live experience of the classic. I love Don Giovanni for many reasons, maybe the main one is that it is because it is not merely edgy, it is the most revolutionary, iconoclast, anti-establishment piece of lyrical fiction there is. The main character and antihero is a blasphemer, an agent of chaos, a philanderer who does not shy away from rape and murder to satisfy his lust, who openly mocks both the law of men and God, and threatened by eternal damnation accepts his fate rather than repenting, out of fear or remorse. So however humble the setting, the core of the opera was channeled properly.

The intermission was longer, as there was a picnic/supper. We shared our table with a mother and her daughter. The mother was American, her daughter half British from her father, she was 20 and they had settled back to England after a few years in Italy. Very friendly people: they offered us a few glasses of their rosé, they chatted with us and we had a lovely conversation among connoisseurs. I had met two people who shared my love of Italy, my love of opera and my love for Don Giovanni. In fact, the daughter told us that it was the first opera she ever saw. A revelation to her: she knew she wanted to become an opera singer at that moment. I told my wife later that I was so happy about it, thata girl her age and her generation had decided to live her dreams and become an opera singer. It meant that there was hope for the form of art, that it could still touch and marvel new people. And it was very reassuring: we were with them among the youngest people there. Most of the people around us were elderly, "white heads" as my father would say. And I am not that young to begin with!

So that was my evening. I would not end a post about Mozart without his music. So I decided to upload here the ball scene, near the end of the first act of Don Giovanni. With Samuel Ramey in the title role. It has Viva la Liberta in it, that is the main reason I chose this bit. When I say the opera is revolutionary, that is what I mean.

The dress code for the evening

I mentioned recently on this blog that I am going to see Don Giovanni on the stage. It is tonight. I am looking forward to it, except one small detail: the dress code. Because there is a dress code. I love to wear whatever I want to wear for the weekend, or indeed any day. And for men, it is written that they ask for jackets and ties, stressing "please no jeans!" I could understand the no jeans, even though I already paid good money to see the performance, but jacket and tie? I wear them at weddings, funerals and job interviews. For Mozart, I thought the music would be elegant enough. I guess I am not used to posh evenings, but for me opera is not about the dress code, it is about the story and the music. And that kind of irks me a bit.

An evening with Mozart

As you know, I am trying to spend some evenings out to see plays (as I did recently). This weekend, it will be an evening of a slightly different type, albeit on a stage: an evening watching and listening to Don Giovanni, my favourite opera. I have seen many operas live on stage, but never this one, believe it or not. It will be the first time.

So anyway, a few months ago I saw a poster in one of the local charity shops about this production of Don Giovanni, for a charity organization, in a nearby town. It has a longer interval, so the audience can have a picnic as dinner/supper. My kind of evening. But in any case, only because of the opera, I knew I had to see it. Getting the tickets was a bit of a pain and slow: I actually had to send a cheque by mail, they do not accept other payments. Nevertheless, I received the tickets today. So I can barely wait. To illustrate this post, I have uploaded an image from this book. An image that would fit Le Nozze di Figaro better, but since we are going to have a meal with the performance, it does fit at least the circumstances. And to celebrate this upcoming evening, I have decided to upload here the overture of the opera I love so much.

A birthday memory (about Mozart)

It is my birthday today, I have the venerable age of 35. I didn't know exactly how to blog about it, I mean blogging it differently than how I did it before. And then I just thought about some memories I have from my birthdays. As an adult, a birthday is just one extra day, you are one day older than before, unless you start thinking that you are getting old. But as a child, it is something magical.

So for some reason today, I had in mind a precise birthday gift I had: when I was 9 or 10 (or maybe younger), I received the life of Mozart on a disc, narrated by Gérard Philippe, from the collection Le Petit Ménestrel. They still sell it, but in CDs. My first Petit Ménestrel was the life of Beethoven, which turned me into a fan, but I think Mozart had a lasting impression on me, for one single reason: there was Finch'han dal vino, an aria from Don Giovanni, on it. It got me hooked on the opera, which I received at my next year's birthday. Since then, Don Giovanni is my favourite opera. My brothers and I used to play the last scene. And it all started with this single aria, which I have been listening to today. So I decided to upload it here, my birthday gift to my readership. It is sung by the baritone Simon Keenlyside. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it when I first heard it.