Mozart - Don Giovanni - Muti [DVD9]

Don Giovanni - Carlos Alvarez
Il Commendatore - Franz-Josef Selig
Donna Anna - Adrianne Pieczonka
Don Ottavio - Michael Schade
Donna Elvira - Anna Caterina Antonacci
Leporello - Ildebrando d'Arcangelo
Zerlina - Angelika Kirschschlager
Masetto - Lorenzo Regazzo

Bühnenorchester der Wiener Staatsoper
Chorus and Orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper
Chorus Master: Ernst Dunshirn
Conductor: Ricardo Muti
Directed for TV and Video by: Brian Large

Recorded live at the Theater an der Wien, 1999

A production ORF & TDK

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There is no doubt who the stars are in this Vienna State Opera production of 'Don Giovanni': the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (aka the Vienna Philharmonic) under Riccardo Muti. I have rarely heard such subtle, flexible orchestral support in what is, after all, generally considered a singer's opera, but one that has innumerable orchestral felicities. And they accompany a cast of singers who, while not all that well-known internationally at the time of this performance (1999), are performing at quite a high level. This live performance (not in the Opera House but in the more intimate Theater an der Wien) was recorded for Austrian television and directed for that medium by the ubiquitous (because he's so good) Brian Large. The stage production by Roberto de Simone is mostly traditional, although one peculiarity is that the costuming (by Zaira de Vincentiis) is updated era by era as we go through the various scenes of the opera – Giovanni starts out in Act I, Scene I dressed in 16th century commedia dell'arte garb and by Act II he is dressed in a kind of 19th century costume, having along the way been dressed in 17th and 18th century wig and tights, etc. This is mildly puzzling but not intrusive, nor does it add much to the production. The sets are mostly utilitarian, albeit beautiful, and do not distort the action as is so often the case in recent European productions.
As I said, though, this is a singer's opera and here we have much to happy about. The young, lithe Carlos Álvarez (a Spaniard who had gone to medical school and become a gynecologist before switching his career to singing) makes a marvelous Giovanni, both in his singing and his acting. He comes across as very charming and one can see how he could win over Donna Elvira even after she has denounced him. The Elvira is Anna Caterina Antonacci. She is a beautiful woman and has a striking voice. It took part of the first act for her voice to warm up and as a result her sound in 'Or sai chi l'onore' is a little covered. But when the voice frees up she sounds thrilling, as in 'Mi tradi' in Act II. Donna Anna is sung by a young Canadian soprano, Adrianne Pieczonka, and she is simply marvelous. I admit I'd never heard of her before, but I was won over. (As I write this, her moving 'Non mi dir' is replaying in my mind's ear. Lovely.)

Leporello is taken with complete gusto by the handsome Ildebrando d'Arcangelo. His servant is winning, cunning and hunky. And he can sing, too. His 'Catalog Aria' is a charmer. One surprise for me was the silken Don Ottavio of tenor Michael Schade. I had only heard him once before and thought he was a rather typical tenorino, but in this production he produced a sweet, full voice that did full justice to his 'Dalla sua pace' and 'Il mio tesoro.' And his acting was effective. Slightly less so was the Masetto of Lorenzo Regazzo. His voice was a little rough around the edges and his acting a bit stereotypical. It didn't help, probably, that he was mostly in scenes with the gorgeous and gorgeous-voiced mezzo Angelika Kirchschlager, who has since become an operatic superstar. Her 'Batti, batti' was delicious and her acting charmingly effective. The Commmendatore was the appropriately cavernous-voiced basso, Franz-Josef Selig.

You will have noticed that many of the principals are Latins – Álvarez, Antonacci, d'Arcangelo, Regazzo – and that, coupled with Muti at the helm, conspired, I believe, to make opera more Italianate than it often is. Muti conducts on three DVDs of Don Giovanni, one of which, from La Scala, I've also reviewed here. They're all good. But this one is also particularly good-looking, at least partly because of the young cast. I recommend this DVD with only minor reservations, noted above.

By J Scott Morrison

What strikes the viewer/listener about this performance by the Vienna State Opera in 1999 is its superior vocal and orchestral playing quality. Carlos Alvarez (Don Giovanni) is a virile-sounding Don, while Ildebrando d'Arcangelo (Leporello) sings and acts well, bringing out the poor servant's personality. Michael Schade (Ottavio) is also very good.

Among women, Anna Caterina Antonacci is excellent as the tormented and love-sick Donna Elvira; her voice has a luminous qualtiy. Angela Kirchschlager is a charming Zerlina; her voice has a beautiful and warm timbre. On the other hand, Adrianne Pieczonka is miscast; her appearance is a little too matronly for Donna Anna, the young and vulnerable daughter of the Commandatore, and she has a voice which is a little too sharp for the role, to this reviewer's taste.

Riccardo Muti's conducting is incisive, although he occasionally drives the music (particularly arias) a little too hard so that the music doesn't "breathe" enough. The Vienna State Opera Orchestra (virtually the same as the Vienna Philharmonic), who knows the work inside out, plays with the usual elan. They would make Mozart proud.

Now, a few negative points. First, the whole action takes place in a rather cramped space on and around steps on the small stage of the Theater an der Wien; this restricts action on the stage. Secondly, the costumes are an oddity, as the previous reviewer has noted. The style of the Don's costumes progresses from the 16th century Spanish clothing at the start of Act 1 to that of the 20th century towards the end in Act 2! Finally, Leporello's face is painted white at the beginning of Act 1 for no particular reason. (Perhaps he is meant to appear like a clown.) There is really no point to this sort of gimmick since it does not add value to or enjoyment of the opera. This reflects a modern and whimsical trend by directors, which is commonplace nowadays.

Having said all that, musically this is a very enjoyable live recording of the dramatic masterpiece. The stereo sound is excellent.

By Kazm