Don Giovanni is one of opera’s greatest works, but it’s on the long side. So when the finale to act 1 finally arrives it’s always welcome, especially as it’s so good. Giovanni is supposedly a great seducer, but he fails at every amatory attempt, resorting to attempted rape at the conclusion of act 1. His absurd placing the blame on Leporello makes him look even more pusillanimous. The words to this scene in both Italian and English are below.
Briefly this is what happens: Leporello distracts Masetto by dancing with him, while Don Giovanni leads Zerlina offstage to a private room and tries to assault her. When Zerlina screams for help, Don Giovanni drags Leporello into the room, accuses Leporello of assaulting Zerlina himself, and threatens to kill him. The others are not fooled. Don Ottavio produces a pistol and points it at Don Giovanni, and Elvira, Anna, and Ottavio unmask and declare that they know all. But despite being denounced and menaced from all sides, Don Giovanni escapes.
This excerpt is from a 1999 performance in Vienna under the direction of Riccardo Muti. The cast is:
Leporello: Ildebrando D’Arcangelo
Don Giovanni: Carlos Álvarez
Donna Anna: Adrianne Pieczonka
Donna Elvira: Anna Caterina Antonacci
Don Ottavio: Michael Schade
Masetto; Lorenzo Regazzo
Zerlina: Angelika Kirchschlager
DON GIOVANNI (ai musicisti) Ricominciate il suono! (a Leporello) Tu accoppia i ballerini.LEPORELLO Da bravi, via ballate! (Ballano.) DONNA ELVIRA (a Donna Anna) DONNA ANNA DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI, LEPORELLO |
DON GIOVANNI (to the musicians) Resume your playing! (to Leporello) You, pair off the dancers.LEPORELLO Now everyone dance! (They dance.) DONNA ELVIRA (to Donna Anna) DONNA ANNA DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI, LEPORELLO |
MASETTO (ironicamente) Va bene in verità!DON GIOVANNI (a Leporello) A bada tien Masetto. LEPORELLO (a Masetto) DON GIOVANNI (a Zerlina) MASETTO LEPORELLO MASETTO LEPORELLO DONNA ANNA DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO LEPORELLO |
MASETTO (sarcastically) It’s really going well!DON GIOVANNI (to Leporello) Keep your eye on Masetto. LEPORELLO (to Masetto) DON GIOVANNI (to Zerlina) MASETTO LEPORELLO MASETTO LEPORELLO DONNA ANNA DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO LEPORELLO |
MASETTO No, no, non voglio!LEPORELLO Eh, balla, amico mio! Facciam quel ch’altri fa. (Leporello balla con Masetto. Don Giovanni ballando conduce via Zerlina.) DON GIOVANNI MASETTO ZERLINA LEPORELLO
DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO ZERLINA (di dentro) DONNA ELVIRA, DONNA ANNA, DON OTTAVIO |
MASETTO No, no, I don’t want to.LEPORELLO Now dance, my friend! Let us do what the others are doing. (Leporello dances with Masetto. Don Giovanni, dancing with Zerlina, leads her towards an exit.) DON GIOVANNI MASETTO ZERLINA LEPORELLO DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO ZERLINA (offstage) DONNA ELVIRA, DONNA ANNA, DON OTTAVIO |
MASETTO Ah, Zerlina!ZERLINA (di dentro) Scellerato!DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO Ora grida da quel lato! ZERLINA (di dentro) DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO ZERLINA (di dentro) DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI LEPORELLO DON GIOVANNI |
MASETTO Ah, Zerlina!ZERLINA (offstage) Scoundrel!DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO Now she’s screaming from over there! ZERLINA (offstage) DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO ZERLINA (offstage) DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI LEPORELLO DON GIOVANNI |
LEPORELLO Ah, cosa fate?DON GIOVANNI Mori, dico!LEPORELLO Ah, cosa fate? DON OTTAVIO DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI DONNA ELVIRA DON GIOVANNI DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI |
LEPORELLO What are you doing?DON GIOVANNI Die, I say! LEPORELLO DON OTTAVIO DONNA ANNA, DONNA ELVIRA, DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI DONNA ELVIRA DON GIOVANNI DON OTTAVIO DON GIOVANNI |
TUTTI fuorché DON GIOVANNI e LEPORELLO Traditore! Tutto, tutto già si sa! ecc. Trema, trema, o scellerato! Saprà tosto il mondo intero il misfatto orrendo e nero, la tua fiera crudeltà! Odi il tuon della vendetta, che ti fischia intorno intorno; sul tuo capo in questo giorno il suo fulmine cadrà.LEPORELLO È confusa la sua testa, non sa più quel ch’ei si faccia: e un orribile tempesta minacciando, o Dio, lo va. Ma non manca in lui coraggio. Non si perde o si confonde. Se cadesse ancora il mondo, nulla mai temer lo fa. DON GIOVANNI |
ALL except DON GIOVANNI and LEPORELLO Traitor! We know everything! etc. Tremble, tremble, scoundrel! Now the whole world shall know of the horrible, black crime of your arrogant cruelty! Listen to the sound of vengeance as it thunders all around you! Upon your head this very day its thunderbolt shall fall.LEPORELLO His head is whirling in confusion, he no longer knows what’s happening. A dreadful storm, oh Lord, its thundering over him. But he does not lack for courage. He is not lost or worried. If the world itself should end, nothing could make him afraid. DON GIOVANNI |
Much as I like D’Arcangelo and Kirchschlager, I find the music and characters a total bore. Solid as cheese cloth……….