Maria Bengtsson (Donna Anna)
Danielle de Niese (Donna Elvira)
Anke Vondung (Zerlina)
Matthew Rose (Leporello)
Martin-Jan Nijhof (Masetto)
Edgaras Montvidas (Don Ottavio)
Michael Eder (Il Commendatore)
Staatsopernchor Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden
Omer Meir Wellber (Conductor)
Andreas Kriegenburg (Director)
The fascination of Don Giovanni is the psychoanalytical aspect that allows various ways of exploration. It can be seen as a naive hide and seek game; or an examination of the paradoxical love and hate relationships between characters, particularly between Leporello and his master; or the conflicting psychological state after unending sexual and rebellious freedom. It also leads to question whether Don Giovanni is a ruthless murderer and raper, or mentally vulnerable and responds by being a deviant figure against social norms. All these inevitably can only be stopped and ended by the dramatic falling to hell with all the motives that trigger and driven to such terrifying downfall.
The stage set of Kriegenburg's production was of high quality including a showcase of stage machinery, but as a whole far from creating the depth and focus. The whitewashed apartment, on a high rise building with balcony, and the dark underground space, where party and dining took place, form the two levels. Though it was not a binary contrast between heaven and hell since the murder of the commander, orgy party aftermath and the hunt on Don Giovanni all happened at the same apartment. Instead the apartment was where incidents happened yet the protagonist did not have to bear an immediate consequence, whereas the underground was when his mischief was discovered followed by the downfall.
The sequence of actions though felt rather accidental than laying the triggers that later led to the judgement scene. Don Giovanni seems shocked after he murdered the commander with a dagger while the room was holding a model audition. While the Donna Anna and Octavio were raged over the killing, the models did not notice and admiring the skyline on the balcony instead. Flooding the underground floor was also far from creating the surreal state that previously used in Kriegenburg's Wozzeck for Munich opera, and the purpose seems for visual beauty by reflecting the light in the dark.
Dramaturgy improved at the wedding scene as the chaos and confrontation unfolded. Leporello distracted Masetto by insulting him and let his master attempted to rape Zerlina. The confusion followed as Masetto thought Zerlina was unfaithful and did not realise a trap was set by Anna and Elvira. Don Giovanni blamed Leporello by pushing him onto the ground but the crowd turned hostile as they realised his deed. He then shut the stage curtain in humiliation that ended the first act. First part of the second half focused on Leporello as he made advances on Elvira and Zerlina, also fooling Octavio. Despite sharing the same passion of eroticism like Don Giovanni, Leporello seems more naive and careless as he simply let his desire led him to traps. Here Zerlina showed herself as the dominatrix over Octavio, who was easily subdued by her flirts, and punished Leporello with a taser. Their flirtatious nature coupled with hardcore doings put the protagonist tamed in comparison.
The final ensemble scene was omitted in contrast to current practice, and the downfall coda was perceived as a nightmarish illusion that saw Don Giovanni being dragged to hell. One sensed the eeriness when ghostly figures lurked behind the dining table in heavy mist. Elvira and Leopello became emotional as they tried to convince the protagonist to save himself from destruction. The fall was dramatic as expected with lots of smoke and stage lights in red flashing at the audience. Though it still felt lacking the motive as why Don Giovanni deserved such devastating fate, and also a surreal sense that the end was an accident than punishment of his sinful behaviours.
Lucas Meachen's Don Giovanni felt rather noble and composed. A lot of legato in his singing but the smooth timbre was far from the seductive impression in mind. Yes he kept his diction clear especially during the wordy passage. As Leporello, Matthew Rose was denser with the warmth in vocal colour. He injected the much needed emotional contrast and word painting in his singing. The final scene saw him sustained the dramatic intensity as Leporello witnessing the fallen of his master to hell. Danielle de Niese was as ever a good actress but mixed impression by her vocal style. One did not feel her tessitura sat comfortably in the part of Donna Elvira and often lacked body. She sang with very bright vowel in a forward tone that one felt strange to hear the Italian produced in such way. The top of her vocal range was more audible but tuning often on the verge of going flat in her solos. Though she should be credited on capturing the conflicting personality of Elvira, who emotionally had a complex love and hate relationship with the protagonist.
Anke Vondung sang in a rather covered and full tone in the role of Zerlina, which was far from the sleek and light timbre I had in mind. In contrast, Maria Bengtsson's singing carried more clarity and brighter with the vowels as Donna Anna. She gave more contrast to the dynamic changes and effectively created the desired emotions through her singing. Her tessitura also sat comfortably on the high vocal register, but tuning in the running not always secure. Edgaras Montvidas employed a lot of vibrato and lacked the smoothness in switching vocal register, which one felt his vocal approach not in style. One could only remember Martin-Jan Nijhof portrayed Masetto as a frustrating figure, as Leporello distracted him away from Zerlina, and later hot headed to trap Don Giovanni in revenge. Michael Eder lacked some level of vocal richness in his brief appearance as the commander.
The orchestra gave a swift and spirited rendition of the dramatic overture under the direction of Omer Meir Wellber. It aimed at the devastation and dramatic development to drive the momentum forward with great excitement. Though when the protagonist attempted to seduced Zerlina at her wedding reception, I agree with another critic that Meir Wellber's continuo style by imitating modern lounge music went too far from the music style at first place. It became an odd musical moment and rather distracting by the mismatch. In sum, I was slightly disappointed by the evening that neither the production and casting culminated to some memorable moments, yet one felt it could be enhanced for a far more satisfying result.
(Photo credit: Semperoper Dresden)
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