Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Dramma giocoso in two acts | Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte
First performed: 1787 in Prague
In Italian. With supertitles.
A comedy that ends as a journey to hell - this is how Mozart composed the most abysmal of his stage works. The title character seeks pleasure without remorse and reacts with murder and manslaughter when the consequences of his actions catch up with him. In the past, the character image of a conscienceless womanizer and demonic seducer was shocking. Today, the disturbing fascination of a Don Juan seems to have disappeared, playboys have died out, and procreation can be organized. The last taboo in "Don Giovanni" remains the encounter with death, which no one can escape.
